Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard
Opportunity
76 · Top 15%
vs60 · Top 41%
Growth
72 · Top 17%
vs53 · Top 45%
Climate
69 · Top 42%
vs74 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
32 · Bottom 22%
vs43 · Bottom 32%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 12%
vs69 · Bottom 12%
Access
76 · Bottom 49%
vs89 · Top 25%
Economic stability
80 · Top 14%
vs81 · Top 13%
Measured values
| Metric | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 299,067 | 277,881 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $96,563 | $104,158 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,136 | $53,544 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 414/sq mi | 703/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $480,300 | $555,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,736 | $1,822 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.7% | 70.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.5% | 37.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.5% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,788 | 1,343 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.0 | 4.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 11.8% | -16.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 78°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.6" | 36.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 43 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 29.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.0 | 40.2 | 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
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
68
Your Score
65
Area Score
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard
67
Your Score
62
Area Score
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Full profiles: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA Metro Area · Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology