Richmond receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Richmond
Vancouver
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 33%
vs47 · Bottom 30%
Growth
61 · Top 32%
vs55 · Top 46%
Climate
75 · Top 31%
vs73 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 17%
vs65 · Top 36%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 30%
vs57 · Bottom 28%
Access
97 · Bottom 49%
vs90 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 39%
vs63 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Richmond | Vancouver | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 229,359 | 195,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,587 | $81,338 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,790 | $45,636 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,827/sq mi | 4,002/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $353,000 | $462,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,372 | $1,702 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.5% | 50.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.6% | 32.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.2% | 10.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,714 | 1,298 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.9 | 6.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -20.0% | 17.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 29°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.5" | 37.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 37.9 | 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
Richmond
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Vancouver
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Richmond, VA · Vancouver, WA · How this is calculated: methodology