Seattle, WA · standard

ZIP Code 98126

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

20,698
2,610/sq mi
$116,466
Median income
$783,700
Median home value
61.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 11%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 5%
home value, US ZIPs
2,610
people per sq mi
61%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98126 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 98126 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 7.9 square miles in Seattle, King County, Washington. The area is home to 20,698 residents, producing a population density of 2,610 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 98126 against Washington and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 98126 sits at $116,466 (28% above the Washington average), while per-capita income is $69,327. The poverty rate stands at 9.3% and the unemployment rate at 6.0%. On housing, the median home value is $783,700 (53% above the state average) with median rent at $1,802 per month, and 60.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 98126 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 61.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.6, and the average commute is 28 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing King County, so you can benchmark 98126 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 98126

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98126.

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 98126, 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

20,698

Population

7.9

Area (sq mi)

2,610

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 98126?

37.6

Median Age

48.2%

Male

51.8%

Female

15.1%

Foreign-Born

White 61.0%
African American 11.0%
Asian 10.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.3%
Two or More Ethnicities 13.3%
Hispanic or Latino 9.0%

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?

$116,466

Median Household Income

+28% vs state

$69,327

Per Capita Income

9.3%

Poverty Rate

6.0%

Unemployment Rate

28.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 98126 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$116,466 Top 11% higher than 89% 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 73.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 61.1%

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

What does housing look like?

11,029

Total Housing Units

10,248

Occupied Units

781

Vacant Units

2.22

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 60.6%
Renter 39.4%

$783,700

Median Home Value

+53% vs state

$1,802

Median Rent

1965

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

+3.4%

YoY Change (2024)

357

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+257%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 98126 have increased 3.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +257% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.7% 281
2021 +7.9% 304
2022 +10.7% 336
2023 +2.7% 346
2024 +3.4% 357

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 448 business establishments in ZIP 98126, employing approximately 4,021 people with a combined annual payroll of $192,844,000.

448

Businesses

4,021

Employees

$192.8M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 74 16.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 72 16.1%
Other services (except public administration) 59 13.2%
Retail trade 44 9.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 40 8.9%
Construction 33 7.4%
Accommodation and food services 30 6.7%
Educational services 15 3.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 15 3.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 14 3.1%
Information 12 2.7%
Finance and insurance 12 2.7%
Wholesale trade 9 2.0%
Manufacturing 7 1.6%
Transportation and warehousing 4 0.9%
Management of companies and enterprises 4 0.9%
Industries not classified 4 0.9%

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 98126 vs 98106 →

ZIP 98126 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 98126 ranks #6 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 98126 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 98126 ranks #6 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
98106 Seattle, WA 22,873 1.0 mi
98136 Seattle, WA 14,770 1.0 mi
98116 Seattle, WA 22,241 2.1 mi
98146 Seattle, WA 25,922 3.4 mi
98134 Seattle, WA 644 2.7 mi
98108 Seattle, WA 22,374 2.9 mi
98121 Seattle, WA 12,628 4.9 mi
98174 Seattle, WA 0 4.3 mi
98119 Seattle, WA 21,039 6.4 mi
98154 Seattle, WA 0 4.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in King County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 98126 in?
ZIP code 98126 (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 98126?
ZIP code 98126 in Seattle, WA has a population of 20,698 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98126?
The median household income in ZIP 98126 is $116,466, which is 53% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98126?
The median home value in ZIP 98126 is $783,700, which is 182% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98126?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98126 is White at 61.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98126?
ZIP code 98126 has 448 business establishments employing approximately 4,021 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98126?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98126 are: Health care and social assistance (74), Professional, scientific, and technical services (72), Other services (except public administration) (59). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98126?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98126 increased by 3.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 257%. 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 98126?
In ZIP code 98126, 73.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 61.1% 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 98126?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98126 is 28.2 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 98126?
In ZIP code 98126, approximately 60.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 39.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98126?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98126 is 9.3% 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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