Sumner receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sumner
Renton
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 28%
vs44 · Bottom 24%
Growth
75 · Top 10%
vs29 · Bottom 16%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 26%
vs41 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 23%
vs54 · Bottom 14%
Access
91 · Bottom 47%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
79 · Top 8%
vs72 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Sumner | Renton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,733 | 105,317 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $98,191 | $100,432 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,991 | $51,528 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,421/sq mi | 4,474/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $519,900 | $672,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,974 | $1,998 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.4% | 54.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.3% | 39.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.9% | 8.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 176 | 79 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 16.4 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 282.6% | -13.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 34.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.0 min | 32.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.98 | 19.71 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.4% | 48.9% | 2024-25 school 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
Sumner
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Renton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Sumner, WA · Renton, WA · How this is calculated: methodology