PlainZIP

Seattle, WA · standard

ZIP Code 98109

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

20,715
4,011/sq mi
$133,663
Median income
$1,034,100
Median home value
79.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Seattle pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a suburban-density, renter-heavy area.

Top 6%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 2%
home value, US ZIPs
4,011
people per sq mi
21%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98109 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 98109 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Seattle, King County, Washington, with 20,715 residents across 5.2 square miles, a density of 4,011 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.

ZIP 98109 skews affluent, with a median household income of $133,663 (47% above the Washington average), while per-capita income is $117,676. Local economic indicators show a 8.7% poverty rate alongside 4.2% unemployment. Median home value sits at $1,034,100 (102% above the state average), median rent at $2,343 a month, and owner-occupancy at 21.1%.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 79.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 31.7, and the average commute is 22 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 98109, plus 6 more within King County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

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 98109

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Seattle, WA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98109.

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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 98109, 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

20,715

Population

5.2

Area (sq mi)

4,011

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 98109?

31.7

Median Age

53.6%

Male

46.4%

Female

31.0%

Foreign-Born

White 49.9%
African American 4.0%
Asian 31.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 12.1%
Hispanic or Latino 7.7%

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?

$133,663

Median Household Income

+47% vs state

$117,676

Per Capita Income

8.7%

Poverty Rate

4.2%

Unemployment Rate

21.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 98109 ranks nationally

Seattle, WA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$133,663 Top 6% higher than 94% 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%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). This entry sits in this band. $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 84.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 79.4%

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

What does housing look like?

24,597

Total Housing Units

21,883

Occupied Units

2,714

Vacant Units

1.52

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 21.1%
Renter 78.9%

$1,034,100

Median Home Value

+102% vs state

$2,343

Median Rent

2005

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

-5.7%

YoY Change (2024)

285

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+185%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 98109 have decreased 5.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +185% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.5% 272
2021 +1.0% 275
2022 +17.0% 322
2023 -6.0% 302
2024 -5.7% 285

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 1,663 business establishments in ZIP 98109, employing approximately 68,378 people with a combined annual payroll of $10,015,808,000.

1,663

Businesses

68,378

Employees

$10.0B

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 296 17.8%
Accommodation and food services 254 15.3%
Health care and social assistance 185 11.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 169 10.2%
Other services (except public administration) 166 10.0%
Retail trade 105 6.3%
Finance and insurance 91 5.5%
Information 70 4.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 56 3.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 55 3.3%
Wholesale trade 49 3.0%
Management of companies and enterprises 45 2.7%
Construction 40 2.4%
Educational services 39 2.4%
Manufacturing 25 1.5%
Transportation and warehousing 14 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 4 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 98109 vs 98121 →

ZIP 98109 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 98109 ranks #4 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 98109 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 98109 ranks #3 of 8 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
98121 Seattle, WA 12,628 1.1 mi
98102 Seattle, WA 20,756 1.1 mi
98101 Seattle, WA 10,238 1.5 mi
98119 Seattle, WA 21,039 1.3 mi
98154 Seattle, WA 0 1.8 mi
98174 Seattle, WA 0 1.9 mi
98164 Seattle, WA 141 1.9 mi
98103 Seattle, WA 45,911 2.9 mi
98104 Seattle, WA 13,095 2.2 mi
98195 Seattle, WA 0 2.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in King County

98052 standard
Redmond, WA
Pop: 58,442
98023 standard
Federal Way, WA
Pop: 47,510
98115 standard
Seattle, WA
Pop: 46,206
98103 standard
Seattle, WA
Pop: 45,911
98133 standard
Seattle, WA
Pop: 44,555
98003 standard
Federal Way, WA
Pop: 44,151

Related Areas

King County Seattle, WA Washington

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 98109 in? ▼
ZIP code 98109 (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 98109? ▼
ZIP code 98109 in Seattle, WA has a population of 20,715 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98109? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 98109 is $133,663, which is 75% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98109? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 98109 is $1,034,100, which is 272% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98109? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 98109 is White at 49.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98109? ▼
ZIP code 98109 has 1,663 business establishments employing approximately 68,378 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98109? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98109 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (296), Accommodation and food services (254), Health care and social assistance (185). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98109? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98109 decreased by 5.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 185%. 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 98109? ▼
In ZIP code 98109, 84.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 79.4% 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 98109? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98109 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 98109? ▼
In ZIP code 98109, approximately 21.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 78.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98109? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98109 is 8.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.