Seattle receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Seattle
Oakland
Opportunity
57 · Top 48%
vs54 · Bottom 43%
Growth
62 · Top 31%
vs47 · Bottom 38%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs85 · Top 14%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 29%
vs36 · Bottom 27%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 34%
vs43 · Bottom 8%
Access
95 · Bottom 30%
vs99 · Top 10%
Economic stability
68 · Top 9%
vs58 · Top 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Seattle | Oakland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 754,195 | 439,418 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $123,860 | $101,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $86,095 | $61,757 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,979/sq mi | 7,852/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $938,600 | $929,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,030 | $1,979 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.7% | 42.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68.4% | 48.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.9% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,827 | 991 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.4 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.0% | 240.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.8" | 18.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.1 min | 32.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.6 | 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
Seattle
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Oakland
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Seattle, WA · Oakland, CA · How this is calculated: methodology