Kent, WA · standard

ZIP Code 98031

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

36,581
1,882/sq mi
$105,965
Median income
$611,600
Median home value
32.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 15%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 9%
home value, US ZIPs
1,882
people per sq mi
67%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98031 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 98031 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 19.4 square miles in Kent, King County, Washington. The area is home to 36,581 residents, producing a population density of 1,882 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 98031 against Washington and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 98031 sits at $105,965 (17% above the Washington average), while per-capita income is $46,315. The poverty rate stands at 10.4% and the unemployment rate at 6.5%. On housing, the median home value is $611,600 (20% above the state average) with median rent at $1,991 per month, and 67.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 98031 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 32.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.1, and the average commute is 31 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing King County, so you can benchmark 98031 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 98031

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98031.

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 98031, Kent, 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

36,581

Population

19.4

Area (sq mi)

1,882

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 98031?

38.1

Median Age

50.1%

Male

49.9%

Female

32.9%

Foreign-Born

White 34.5%
African American 13.0%
Asian 29.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 1.3%
Two or More Ethnicities 14.4%
Hispanic or Latino 12.5%

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?

$105,965

Median Household Income

+17% vs state

$46,315

Per Capita Income

10.4%

Poverty Rate

6.5%

Unemployment Rate

30.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 98031 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$105,965 Top 15% higher than 85% 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 54.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 32.1%

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

What does housing look like?

14,599

Total Housing Units

14,011

Occupied Units

588

Vacant Units

2.83

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 67.2%
Renter 32.8%

$611,600

Median Home Value

+20% vs state

$1,991

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)

330

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+230%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 98031 have increased 7.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +230% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.8% 225
2021 +17.2% 264
2022 +19.1% 315
2023 -2.1% 308
2024 +7.1% 330

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 727 business establishments in ZIP 98031, employing approximately 8,748 people with a combined annual payroll of $515,679,000.

727

Businesses

8,748

Employees

$515.7M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 131 18.0%
Health care and social assistance 92 12.7%
Transportation and warehousing 67 9.2%
Retail trade 63 8.7%
Accommodation and food services 62 8.5%
Wholesale trade 57 7.8%
Other services (except public administration) 57 7.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 48 6.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 45 6.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 43 5.9%
Manufacturing 25 3.4%
Finance and insurance 15 2.1%
Information 8 1.1%
Educational services 8 1.1%
Industries not classified 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 98031 vs 98030 →

ZIP 98031 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 98031 ranks #3 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 98031 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 98031 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
98030 Kent, WA 33,769 2.5 mi
98055 Renton, WA 21,904 2.9 mi
98032 Kent, WA 33,853 3.1 mi
98057 Renton, WA 10,613 4.7 mi
98058 Renton, WA 41,938 4.2 mi
98056 Renton, WA 32,489 7.5 mi
98042 Kent, WA 43,673 4.5 mi
98002 Auburn, WA 31,647 6.7 mi
98188 Seattle, WA 23,111 4.7 mi
98198 Seattle, WA 34,584 5.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in King County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 98031 in?
ZIP code 98031 (Kent) 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 98031?
ZIP code 98031 in Kent, WA has a population of 36,581 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98031?
The median household income in ZIP 98031 is $105,965, which is 39% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98031?
The median home value in ZIP 98031 is $611,600, which is 120% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98031?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98031 is White at 34.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 12.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98031?
ZIP code 98031 has 727 business establishments employing approximately 8,748 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98031?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98031 are: Construction (131), Health care and social assistance (92), Transportation and warehousing (67). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98031?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98031 increased by 7.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 230%. 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 98031?
In ZIP code 98031, 54.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 32.1% 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 98031?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98031 is 30.5 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 98031?
In ZIP code 98031, approximately 67.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 32.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98031?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98031 is 10.4% 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 Kent, WA

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