Kirkland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Newcastle
Kirkland
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 40%
vs55 · Bottom 47%
Growth
35 · Bottom 24%
vs59 · Top 34%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 31%
vs41 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 25%
vs61 · Bottom 22%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs93 · Top 46%
Economic stability
68 · Top 33%
vs75 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Newcastle | Kirkland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,989 | 92,621 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $160,278 | $150,414 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $91,506 | $95,367 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,929/sq mi | 5,202/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,205,600 | $1,115,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,369 | $2,401 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.0% | 60.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68.5% | 66.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 6.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 33 | 452 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -59.3% | 9.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.7" | 37.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.1 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.5 | 38.3 | 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
Newcastle
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Kirkland
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Newcastle, WA · Kirkland, WA · How this is calculated: methodology