Seattle, WA · standard
ZIP Code 98188
King County, Washington — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 23,111
- 1,185/sq mi
- $76,438
- Median income
- $456,400
- Median home value
- 28.1%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Seattle pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- Top 43%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 16%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,185
- people per sq mi
- 42%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98188 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 98188 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 19.5 square miles in Seattle, King County, Washington. The area is home to 23,111 residents, producing a population density of 1,185 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 98188 against Washington and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 98188 sits at $76,438 (16% below the Washington average), while per-capita income is $41,508. The poverty rate stands at 8.5% and the unemployment rate at 7.0%. On housing, the median home value is $456,400 (11% below the state average) with median rent at $1,678 per month, and 41.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 98188 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 28.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.5, and the average commute is 24 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing King County, so you can benchmark 98188 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 98188
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98188.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
274 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
196 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
132 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
130 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
110 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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 98188, 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
23,111
Population
19.5
Area (sq mi)
1,185
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 98188?
37.5
Median Age
55.4%
Male
44.6%
Female
40.0%
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?
$76,438
Median Household Income
-16% vs state
$41,508
Per Capita Income
8.5%
Poverty Rate
7.0%
Unemployment Rate
24.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 98188 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$76,438 Top 43% higher than 57% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
12,456
Total Housing Units
11,430
Occupied Units
1,026
Vacant Units
2.38
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$456,400
Median Home Value
-11% vs state
$1,678
Median Rent
1976
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
+4.2%
YoY Change (2024)
333
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+233%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 98188 have increased 4.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +233% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.3% | 243 |
| 2021 | +13.3% | 275 |
| 2022 | +14.6% | 315 |
| 2023 | +1.2% | 319 |
| 2024 | +4.2% | 333 |
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 1,496 business establishments in ZIP 98188, employing approximately 43,850 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,659,574,000.
1,496
Businesses
43,850
Employees
$2.7B
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 274 | 18.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 196 | 13.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 132 | 8.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 130 | 8.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 110 | 7.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 104 | 7.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 100 | 6.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 96 | 6.4% |
| Construction | 87 | 5.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 74 | 5.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 65 | 4.3% |
| Manufacturing | 44 | 2.9% |
| Information | 26 | 1.7% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 24 | 1.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 20 | 1.3% |
| Educational services | 12 | 0.8% |
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 98188 vs 98158 →
ZIP 98188 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98118
Seattle (98118)
42,731 residents
- 98198
Seattle (98198)
34,584 residents
- 98032
Kent (98032)
33,853 residents
- 98168
Seattle (98168)
33,734 residents
- 98178
Seattle (98178)
24,092 residents
- 98188
Seattle (98188)
23,111 residents
- 98055
Renton (98055)
21,904 residents
- 98166
Seattle (98166)
20,301 residents
- 98057 10,613
Renton (98057)
10,613 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 98188 ranks #6 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 98188 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98166
Seattle (98166)
$114,969 median income
- 98118
Seattle (98118)
$113,762 median income
- 98178
Seattle (98178)
$99,505 median income
- 98055
Renton (98055)
$97,224 median income
- 98168
Seattle (98168)
$88,083 median income
- 98148
Seattle (98148)
$87,342 median income
- 98198
Seattle (98198)
$86,239 median income
- 98032
Kent (98032)
$82,636 median income
- 98188
Seattle (98188)
$76,438 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 98188 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98158 | Seattle, WA | 0 | 1.6 mi |
| 98148 | Seattle, WA | 10,010 | 2.4 mi |
| 98168 | Seattle, WA | 33,734 | 3.1 mi |
| 98032 | Kent, WA | 33,853 | 3.9 mi |
| 98055 | Renton, WA | 21,904 | 3.4 mi |
| 98057 | Renton, WA | 10,613 | 2.9 mi |
| 98178 | Seattle, WA | 24,092 | 3.7 mi |
| 98166 | Seattle, WA | 20,301 | 3.6 mi |
| 98198 | Seattle, WA | 34,584 | 4.1 mi |
| 98118 | Seattle, WA | 42,731 | 6.5 mi |
More ZIP Codes in King County
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Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 98188 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 98188? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 98188? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 98188? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98188? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98188? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98188? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98188? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 98188? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 98188? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 98188? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98188? ▼
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Official Data Resources for Seattle, WA
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