Yakima receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Redding
Yakima
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 38%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
28 · Bottom 16%
vs55 · Top 42%
Climate
59 · Bottom 23%
vs64 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
12 · Bottom 4%
vs31 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 12%
vs82 · Bottom 23%
Access
0 · Bottom 2%
vs43 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 39%
vs61 · Top 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Redding | Yakima | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 181,436 | 257,152 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,636 | $70,656 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,574 | $30,448 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 48/sq mi | 60/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $366,400 | $310,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,317 | $1,109 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.6% | 61.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.8% | 19.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 15.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 150 | 683 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 2.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -53.0% | 7.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 100°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.5" | 8.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 120 mi | 85 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 21.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 33.3 | 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
Redding
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, inland flooding.
Yakima
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, cold wave, earthquake.
Full profiles: Redding, CA Metro Area · Yakima, WA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology