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
Tacoma
Opportunity
57 · Top 48%
vs47 · Bottom 30%
Growth
62 · Top 31%
vs71 · Top 9%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 29%
vs33 · Bottom 24%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 34%
vs62 · Bottom 40%
Access
95 · Bottom 30%
vs91 · Bottom 22%
Economic stability
68 · Top 9%
vs61 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Seattle | Tacoma | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 754,195 | 222,758 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $123,860 | $85,884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $86,095 | $45,650 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,979/sq mi | 4,480/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $938,600 | $479,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,030 | $1,676 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.7% | 55.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68.4% | 34.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.9% | 12.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,827 | 1,267 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.4 | 5.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.0% | 155.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 76°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.8" | 42.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.1 min | 30.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.6 | 37.2 | 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.
Tacoma
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Seattle, WA · Tacoma, WA · How this is calculated: methodology