San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue 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 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,969,337 | 4,061,920 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $162,111 | $115,177 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $79,109 | $63,994 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 735/sq mi | 692/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,447,800 | $717,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,840 | $2,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.5% | 60.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55.5% | 47.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.1% | 8.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7,788 | 20,957 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 5.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 126.1% | 37.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 71°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.6" | 34.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 44 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.8 min | 31.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 37.5 | 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
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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Full profiles: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology