Federal Way, WA · standard

ZIP Code 98023

King County, Washington — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

47,510
1,775/sq mi
$104,893
Median income
$589,900
Median home value
33.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Federal Way pairs an upper-quartile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 16%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 10%
home value, US ZIPs
1,775
people per sq mi
66%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98023 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 98023 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 26.8 square miles in Federal Way, King County, Washington. The area is home to 47,510 residents, producing a population density of 1,775 people per square mile, and falls within the Los Angeles time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 98023 against Washington and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 98023 sits at $104,893 (15% above the Washington average), while per-capita income is $46,636. The poverty rate stands at 9.0% and the unemployment rate at 3.8%. On housing, the median home value is $589,900 (15% above the state average) with median rent at $1,900 per month, and 65.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 98023 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 33.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.6, and the average commute is 33 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing King County, so you can benchmark 98023 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 98023

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98023.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 98023, Federal Way, WA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

47,510

Population

26.8

Area (sq mi)

1,775

People / sq mi

Los Angeles

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 98023?

38.6

Median Age

51.9%

Male

48.1%

Female

27.2%

Foreign-Born

White 42.4%
African American 14.6%
Asian 16.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 3.3%
Two or More Ethnicities 14.3%
Hispanic or Latino 16.0%

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?

$104,893

Median Household Income

+15% vs state

$46,636

Per Capita Income

9.0%

Poverty Rate

3.8%

Unemployment Rate

32.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 98023 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$104,893 Top 16% higher than 84% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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?

High School Graduate or Higher 59.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 33.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

18,564

Total Housing Units

17,752

Occupied Units

812

Vacant Units

2.83

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 65.6%
Renter 34.4%

$589,900

Median Home Value

+15% vs state

$1,900

Median Rent

1984

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+7.1%

YoY Change (2024)

338

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+238%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 98023 have increased 7.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +238% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.0% 228
2021 +16.5% 266
2022 +19.6% 318
2023 -0.5% 316
2024 +7.1% 338

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 705 business establishments in ZIP 98023, employing approximately 3,990 people with a combined annual payroll of $169,388,000.

705

Businesses

3,990

Employees

$169.4M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 179 25.4%
Health care and social assistance 106 15.0%
Other services (except public administration) 63 8.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 57 8.1%
Accommodation and food services 54 7.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 52 7.4%
Transportation and warehousing 50 7.1%
Retail trade 39 5.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 36 5.1%
Wholesale trade 15 2.1%
Information 11 1.6%
Finance and insurance 11 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 11 1.6%
Educational services 9 1.3%
Industries not classified 5 0.7%
Manufacturing 4 0.6%

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 98023 vs 98422 →

ZIP 98023 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 98023 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 98023 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 98023 ranks #4 of 9 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
98422 Tacoma, WA 20,151 1.9 mi
98003 Federal Way, WA 44,151 2.2 mi
98424 Tacoma, WA 10,140 5.2 mi
98421 Tacoma, WA 1,308 3.8 mi
98001 Auburn, WA 31,911 4.6 mi
98354 Milton, WA 6,976 4.6 mi
98443 Tacoma, WA 5,371 7.2 mi
98402 Tacoma, WA 6,356 5.5 mi
98198 Seattle, WA 34,584 6.4 mi
98403 Tacoma, WA 7,713 5.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in King County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 98023 in?
ZIP code 98023 (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 98023?
ZIP code 98023 in Federal Way, WA has a population of 47,510 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98023?
The median household income in ZIP 98023 is $104,893, which is 37% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98023?
The median home value in ZIP 98023 is $589,900, which is 112% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98023?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98023 is White at 42.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 16.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98023?
ZIP code 98023 has 705 business establishments employing approximately 3,990 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98023?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98023 are: Construction (179), Health care and social assistance (106), Other services (except public administration) (63). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98023?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98023 increased by 7.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 238%. 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 98023?
In ZIP code 98023, 59.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.9% 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 98023?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98023 is 32.6 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 98023?
In ZIP code 98023, approximately 65.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 34.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98023?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98023 is 9.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Federal Way, WA

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.