PlainZIP

Seattle, WA · standard

ZIP Code 98118

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

42,731
2,639/sq mi
$113,762
Median income
$810,500
Median home value
51.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 12%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 4%
home value, US ZIPs
2,639
people per sq mi
57%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98118 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 98118 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Seattle, King County, Washington, with 42,731 residents across 16.2 square miles, a density of 2,639 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.

ZIP 98118 skews affluent, with a median household income of $113,762 (25% above the Washington average), while per-capita income is $61,620. The poverty rate stands at 11.6% and the unemployment rate at 4.5%. Housing costs here run $810,500 for a typical home value (59% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,839 a month; 57.1% of homes are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 51.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.4, and the average commute is 30 minutes. To put 98118 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in King County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 98118

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Seattle, WA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98118.

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 98118, 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

42,731

Population

16.2

Area (sq mi)

2,639

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 98118?

38.4

Median Age

50.3%

Male

49.7%

Female

27.6%

Foreign-Born

White 40.4%
African American 18.1%
Asian 24.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.9%
Hispanic or Latino 10.8%

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?

$113,762

Median Household Income

+25% vs state

$61,620

Per Capita Income

11.6%

Poverty Rate

4.5%

Unemployment Rate

30.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 98118 ranks nationally

Seattle, WA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$113,762 Top 12% higher than 88% 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 70.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 51.9%

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

What does housing look like?

20,459

Total Housing Units

19,176

Occupied Units

1,283

Vacant Units

2.60

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 57.1%
Renter 42.9%

$810,500

Median Home Value

+59% vs state

$1,839

Median Rent

1968

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

+2.8%

YoY Change (2024)

351

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+251%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 98118 have increased 2.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +251% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.6% 277
2021 +8.9% 302
2022 +14.4% 345
2023 -1.2% 341
2024 +2.8% 351

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 966 business establishments in ZIP 98118, employing approximately 8,751 people with a combined annual payroll of $416,301,000.

966

Businesses

8,751

Employees

$416.3M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 176 18.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 126 13.0%
Other services (except public administration) 121 12.5%
Construction 106 11.0%
Accommodation and food services 98 10.1%
Retail trade 90 9.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 74 7.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 45 4.7%
Finance and insurance 34 3.5%
Educational services 30 3.1%
Wholesale trade 23 2.4%
Information 14 1.4%
Transportation and warehousing 10 1.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 10 1.0%
Manufacturing 5 0.5%

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 98118 vs 98108 →

ZIP 98118 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 98118 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 98118 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 98118 ranks #3 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
98108 Seattle, WA 22,374 2.1 mi
98040 Mercer Island, WA 22,699 2.4 mi
98178 Seattle, WA 24,092 3.2 mi
98144 Seattle, WA 26,881 3.2 mi
98168 Seattle, WA 33,734 4.0 mi
98106 Seattle, WA 22,873 4.0 mi
98122 Seattle, WA 31,454 4.9 mi
98188 Seattle, WA 23,111 6.5 mi
98134 Seattle, WA 644 4.0 mi
98056 Renton, WA 32,489 4.2 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 98118 in? ▼
ZIP code 98118 (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 98118? ▼
ZIP code 98118 in Seattle, WA has a population of 42,731 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98118? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 98118 is $113,762, which is 49% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98118? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 98118 is $810,500, which is 191% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98118? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 98118 is White at 40.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98118? ▼
ZIP code 98118 has 966 business establishments employing approximately 8,751 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98118? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98118 are: Health care and social assistance (176), Professional, scientific, and technical services (126), Other services (except public administration) (121). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98118? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98118 increased by 2.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 251%. 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 98118? ▼
In ZIP code 98118, 70.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 51.9% 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 98118? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98118 is 30.4 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 98118? ▼
In ZIP code 98118, approximately 57.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98118? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98118 is 11.6% 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.