Seattle, WA · standard

ZIP Code 98116

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

22,241
2,903/sq mi
$126,151
Median income
$973,400
Median home value
67.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 8%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 3%
home value, US ZIPs
2,903
people per sq mi
50%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98116 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 98116 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 7.7 square miles in Seattle, King County, Washington. The area is home to 22,241 residents, producing a population density of 2,903 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 98116 against Washington and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 98116 sits at $126,151 (39% above the Washington average), while per-capita income is $87,809. The poverty rate stands at 4.6% and the unemployment rate at 3.7%. On housing, the median home value is $973,400 (90% above the state average) with median rent at $2,075 per month, and 49.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 98116 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 67.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.6, and the average commute is 30 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing King County, so you can benchmark 98116 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 98116

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98116.

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 98116, Seattle, 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

22,241

Population

7.7

Area (sq mi)

2,903

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 98116?

40.6

Median Age

49.5%

Male

50.5%

Female

13.1%

Foreign-Born

White 76.2%
African American 5.4%
Asian 6.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.1%
Hispanic or Latino 5.4%

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?

$126,151

Median Household Income

+39% vs state

$87,809

Per Capita Income

4.6%

Poverty Rate

3.7%

Unemployment Rate

30.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 98116 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$126,151 Top 8% higher than 92% 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 76.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 67.0%

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

What does housing look like?

15,073

Total Housing Units

14,051

Occupied Units

1,022

Vacant Units

2.02

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 49.7%
Renter 50.3%

$973,400

Median Home Value

+90% vs state

$2,075

Median Rent

1974

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

+4.6%

YoY Change (2024)

339

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+239%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 98116 have increased 4.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +239% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.9% 260
2021 +5.6% 275
2022 +12.7% 310
2023 +4.7% 324
2024 +4.6% 339

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 827 business establishments in ZIP 98116, employing approximately 6,402 people with a combined annual payroll of $351,423,000.

827

Businesses

6,402

Employees

$351.4M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 162 19.6%
Health care and social assistance 126 15.2%
Accommodation and food services 92 11.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 82 9.9%
Retail trade 67 8.1%
Other services (except public administration) 65 7.9%
Construction 64 7.7%
Finance and insurance 42 5.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 31 3.8%
Information 23 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 21 2.5%
Educational services 20 2.4%
Wholesale trade 15 1.8%
Transportation and warehousing 8 1.0%
Manufacturing 6 0.7%

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 98116 vs 98136 →

ZIP 98116 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 98116 ranks #2 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 98116 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 98116 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
98136 Seattle, WA 14,770 2.6 mi
98126 Seattle, WA 20,698 2.1 mi
98134 Seattle, WA 644 2.7 mi
98106 Seattle, WA 22,873 2.8 mi
98199 Seattle, WA 19,686 5.4 mi
98121 Seattle, WA 12,628 3.6 mi
98174 Seattle, WA 0 3.5 mi
98119 Seattle, WA 21,039 4.7 mi
98154 Seattle, WA 0 3.6 mi
98104 Seattle, WA 13,095 3.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in King County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 98116 in?
ZIP code 98116 (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 98116?
ZIP code 98116 in Seattle, WA has a population of 22,241 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98116?
The median household income in ZIP 98116 is $126,151, which is 65% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98116?
The median home value in ZIP 98116 is $973,400, which is 250% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98116?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98116 is White at 76.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98116?
ZIP code 98116 has 827 business establishments employing approximately 6,402 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98116?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98116 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (162), Health care and social assistance (126), Accommodation and food services (92). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98116?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98116 increased by 4.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 239%. 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 98116?
In ZIP code 98116, 76.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 67.0% 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 98116?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98116 is 30.3 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 98116?
In ZIP code 98116, approximately 49.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 50.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98116?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98116 is 4.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

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Official Data Resources for Seattle, WA

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