Kirkland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lynnwood
Kirkland
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 28%
vs55 · Bottom 47%
Growth
40 · Bottom 32%
vs59 · Top 34%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
45 · Bottom 35%
vs41 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
35 · Bottom 3%
vs61 · Bottom 22%
Access
88 · Bottom 36%
vs93 · Top 46%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 39%
vs75 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Lynnwood | Kirkland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,110 | 92,621 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,704 | $150,414 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,390 | $95,367 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,092/sq mi | 5,202/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $686,900 | $1,115,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,742 | $2,401 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.1% | 60.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.9% | 66.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.2% | 6.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 80 | 452 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -84.8% | 9.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 72°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.4" | 37.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.0 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.5 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 20 | 27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.94 | 17.93 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 49.6% | 18.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Lynnwood
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Kirkland
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Lynnwood, WA · Kirkland, WA · How this is calculated: methodology