Federal Way, WA · standard
ZIP Code 98003
King County, Washington - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 44,151
- 1,466/sq mi High-density area
- $75,319
- Median income Near-median income area
- $476,600
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 27.6%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Federal Way pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- Top 45%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 14%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,466
- people per sq mi
- 47%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98003 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 98003 (Federal Way, WA) rose +4.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 321.0 in 2023 to 334.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 98003 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Federal Way, King County, Washington, with 44,151 residents across 30.1 square miles, a density of 1,466 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 98003 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $75,319 (17% below the average Washington ZIP), while per-capita income is $35,775. The poverty rate is 15.7%, with unemployment at 6.9%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $476,600 (7% below the average Washington ZIP) and median rent is $1,723; 46.9% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 27.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.7, and the average commute is 31 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in King County, so 98003 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 98003
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Federal Way, WA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98003.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
334 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
200 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
195 establishments
- Construction
Construction
190 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
173 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 98003, Federal Way, WA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
44,151
Population
30.1
Area (sq mi)
1,466
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 98003?
35.7
Median Age
49.9%
Male
50.1%
Female
35.0%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$75,319
Median Household Income
-17% vs state ZIP avg
$35,775
Per Capita Income
15.7%
Poverty Rate
6.9%
Unemployment Rate
31.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 98003 ranks nationally
Federal Way, WA household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$75,319 Top 45% higher than 55% of 30,318 US ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
19,754housing units
19,754
Total Housing Units
18,786
Occupied Units
968
Vacant Units
2.71
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$476,600
Median Home Value
-7% vs state ZIP avg
$1,723
Median Rent
1984
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+4.1%
YoY Change (2024)
334
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+234%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 98003 have increased 4.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +234% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.9% | 232 |
| 2021 | +17.8% | 274 |
| 2022 | +16.2% | 318 |
| 2023 | +1.0% | 321 |
| 2024 | +4.1% | 334 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 1,768 business establishments in ZIP 98003, employing approximately 21,771 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,212,130,000.
1,768
Businesses
21,771
Employees
$1.2B
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 334 | 18.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 200 | 11.3% |
| Retail trade | 195 | 11.0% |
| Construction | 190 | 10.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 173 | 9.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 139 | 7.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 122 | 6.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 103 | 5.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 84 | 4.8% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 76 | 4.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 46 | 2.6% |
| Educational services | 29 | 1.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 23 | 1.3% |
| Information | 21 | 1.2% |
| Manufacturing | 19 | 1.1% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 8 | 0.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 0.2% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 98003 vs 98023 →
ZIP 98003 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98023
Federal Way (98023)
47,510 residents
- 98003
Federal Way (98003)
44,151 residents
- 98198
Seattle (98198)
34,584 residents
- 98001
Auburn (98001)
31,911 residents
- 98002
Auburn (98002)
31,647 residents
- 98371
Puyallup (98371)
20,468 residents
- 98422
Tacoma (98422)
20,151 residents
- 98424 10,140
Tacoma (98424)
10,140 residents
- 98354 6,976
Milton (98354)
6,976 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 98003 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 98003 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98422
Tacoma (98422)
$118,604 median income
- 98047
Pacific (98047)
$115,188 median income
- 98001
Auburn (98001)
$106,791 median income
- 98023
Federal Way (98023)
$104,893 median income
- 98371
Puyallup (98371)
$97,242 median income
- 98354
Milton (98354)
$96,866 median income
- 98424
Tacoma (98424)
$94,122 median income
- 98198
Seattle (98198)
$86,239 median income
- 98002
Auburn (98002)
$78,684 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 98003 ranks #null of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98023 | Federal Way, WA | 47,510 | 2.2 mi |
| 98001 | Auburn, WA | 31,911 | 2.4 mi |
| 98354 | Milton, WA | 6,976 | 3.8 mi |
| 98422 | Tacoma, WA | 20,151 | 3.7 mi |
| 98198 | Seattle, WA | 34,584 | 6.2 mi |
| 98002 | Auburn, WA | 31,647 | 4.6 mi |
| 98424 | Tacoma, WA | 10,140 | 5.2 mi |
| 98047 | Pacific, WA | 6,339 | 4.3 mi |
| 98371 | Puyallup, WA | 20,468 | 7.3 mi |
| 98421 | Tacoma, WA | 1,308 | 5.1 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 98003, both outside WA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (44,151 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in King County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 98003 in?
ZIP code 98003 (Federal Way) is located in King County, Washington. King County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/king-wa.
What is the population of ZIP code 98003?
ZIP code 98003 in Federal Way, WA has a population of 44,151 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98003?
The median household income in ZIP 98003 is $75,319, which is 1% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98003?
The median home value in ZIP 98003 is $476,600, which is 71% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98003?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98003 is White at 32.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 24.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98003?
ZIP code 98003 has 1,768 business establishments employing approximately 21,771 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98003?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98003 are: Health care and social assistance (334), Accommodation and food services (200), Retail trade (195). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98003?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98003 increased by 4.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 234%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 98003?
In ZIP code 98003, 55.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 27.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 98003?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98003 is 31.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 98003?
In ZIP code 98003, approximately 46.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 53.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98003?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98003 is 15.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 98003's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 98003 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Federal Way, WA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.