Seattle, WA · standard
ZIP Code 98101
King County, Washington - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 10,238
- 7,613/sq mi High-density area
- $128,882
- Median income Above-median income area
- $784,200
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 74.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Seattle pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a suburban-density, renter-heavy area.
- Top 7%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 5%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 7,613
- people per sq mi
- 14%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98101 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 98101 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Seattle, King County, Washington, home to 10,238 residents across 1.3 square miles, a density of 7,613 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 98101 skews affluent, with a median household income of $128,882 (42% above the average Washington ZIP), while per-capita income is $121,888. The poverty rate is 10.8%, with unemployment at 3.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing costs run above the statewide ZIP benchmark while renting is common: median home value is $784,200 (53% above the average Washington ZIP), with only 13.5% owner-occupied homes and median rent of $2,483.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 74.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.8, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in King County, so 98101 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 98101
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Seattle, WA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98101.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
654 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
315 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
313 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing 233
Real estate and rental and leasing
233 establishments
- Retail trade 229
Retail trade
229 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 98101, Seattle, 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
10,238
Population
1.3
Area (sq mi)
7,613
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 98101?
33.8
Median Age
57.4%
Male
42.6%
Female
39.1%
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?
$128,882
Median Household Income
+42% vs state ZIP avg
$121,888
Per Capita Income
10.8%
Poverty Rate
3.7%
Unemployment Rate
21.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 98101 ranks among Washington ZIPs
Seattle, WA household income vs. every Washington ZIP code
Median household income among 547 reporting Washington ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$128,882 Top 11% higher than 89% of 547 Washington ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Washington 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
13,585housing units
13,585
Total Housing Units
11,722
Occupied Units
1,863
Vacant Units
1.42
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$784,200
Median Home Value
+53% vs state ZIP avg
$2,483
Median Rent
2000
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 2,609 business establishments in ZIP 98101, employing approximately 96,469 people with a combined annual payroll of $13,471,022,000.
2,609
Businesses
96,469
Employees
$13.5B
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 654 | 25.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 315 | 12.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | 313 | 12.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 233 | 8.9% |
| Retail trade | 229 | 8.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 201 | 7.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 199 | 7.6% |
| Information | 127 | 4.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 112 | 4.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 53 | 2.0% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 44 | 1.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 33 | 1.3% |
| Construction | 27 | 1.0% |
| Manufacturing | 27 | 1.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 24 | 0.9% |
| Educational services | 16 | 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 98101 vs 98154 →
ZIP 98101 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98122
Seattle (98122)
31,454 residents
- 98102
Seattle (98102)
20,756 residents
- 98109
Seattle (98109)
20,715 residents
- 98104
Seattle (98104)
13,095 residents
- 98121
Seattle (98121)
12,628 residents
- 98101 10,238
Seattle (98101)
10,238 residents
- 98134 644
Seattle (98134)
644 residents
- 98164 141
Seattle (98164)
141 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 98101 ranks #6 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 98101 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98164
Seattle (98164)
$250,000 median income
- 98121
Seattle (98121)
$152,019 median income
- 98109
Seattle (98109)
$133,663 median income
- 98101
Seattle (98101)
$128,882 median income
- 98102
Seattle (98102)
$114,925 median income
- 98122
Seattle (98122)
$106,886 median income
- 98134 $68,214
Seattle (98134)
$68,214 median income
- 98104 $61,460
Seattle (98104)
$61,460 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 98101 ranks #4 of 8 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98154 | Seattle, WA | 0 | 0.3 mi |
| 98174 | Seattle, WA | 0 | 0.5 mi |
| 98164 | Seattle, WA | 141 | 0.4 mi |
| 98104 | Seattle, WA | 13,095 | 0.7 mi |
| 98121 | Seattle, WA | 12,628 | 0.6 mi |
| 98109 | Seattle, WA | 20,715 | 1.5 mi |
| 98134 | Seattle, WA | 644 | 2.3 mi |
| 98102 | Seattle, WA | 20,756 | 1.8 mi |
| 98122 | Seattle, WA | 31,454 | 2.0 mi |
| 98195 | Seattle, WA | 0 | 2.9 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 98101, 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 (10,238 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 98101 in?
ZIP code 98101 (Seattle) 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 98101?
ZIP code 98101 in Seattle, WA has a population of 10,238 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98101?
The median household income in ZIP 98101 is $128,882, which is 69% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98101?
The median home value in ZIP 98101 is $784,200, which is 182% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98101?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98101 is White at 49.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98101?
ZIP code 98101 has 2,609 business establishments employing approximately 96,469 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98101?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98101 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (654), Finance and insurance (315), Accommodation and food services (313). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 98101?
In ZIP code 98101, 80.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 74.3% 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 98101?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98101 is 21.6 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 98101?
In ZIP code 98101, approximately 13.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 86.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98101?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98101 is 10.8% 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 98101's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 98101 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Seattle, WA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.