Seattle and Fremont 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
Seattle
Fremont
Opportunity
57 · Top 48%
vs62 · Top 37%
Growth
62 · Top 31%
vs43 · Bottom 31%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs89 · Top 11%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 29%
vs37 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 34%
vs59 · Bottom 33%
Access
95 · Bottom 30%
vs99 · Top 10%
Economic stability
68 · Top 9%
vs75 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | Seattle | Fremont | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 754,195 | 228,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $123,860 | $181,506 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $86,095 | $77,049 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,979/sq mi | 2,923/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $938,600 | $1,403,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,030 | $2,933 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.7% | 60.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68.4% | 63.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.9% | 5.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,827 | 708 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.4 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.0% | 713.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.8" | 13.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.1 min | 33.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.6 | 39.1 | 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
Seattle
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Fremont
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Seattle, WA · Fremont, CA · How this is calculated: methodology