Snohomish receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lynnwood
Snohomish
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 28%
vs47 · Bottom 32%
Growth
40 · Bottom 32%
vs33 · Bottom 20%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
45 · Bottom 35%
vs45 · Bottom 35%
Housing affordability
35 · Bottom 3%
vs51 · Bottom 11%
Access
88 · Bottom 36%
vs82 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 39%
vs64 · Top 42%
Measured values
| Metric | Lynnwood | Snohomish | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,110 | 10,239 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,704 | $87,250 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,390 | $51,704 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,092/sq mi | 2,908/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $686,900 | $683,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,742 | $1,654 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.1% | 55.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.9% | 34.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.2% | 6.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 80 | 8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -84.8% | -84.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 72°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.4" | 33.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.0 min | 31.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.5 | 42.5 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Snohomish
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Lynnwood, WA · Snohomish, WA · How this is calculated: methodology