Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater and Slidell-Mandeville-Covington receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 299,067 | 272,421 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $96,563 | $81,202 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,136 | $43,364 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 414/sq mi | 322/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $480,300 | $284,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,736 | $1,332 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.7% | 78.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.5% | 37.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.5% | 11.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,788 | 1,090 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.0 | 4.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 11.8% | 8.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 78°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.6" | 61.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 43 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 33.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.0 | 40.5 | 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
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Slidell-Mandeville-Covington
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA Metro Area · Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology