PlainZIP

Seattle, WA · standard

ZIP Code 98198

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

34,584
1,732/sq mi
$86,239
Median income
$589,500
Median home value
30.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Seattle pairs an above-median household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

Top 31%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 10%
home value, US ZIPs
1,732
people per sq mi
55%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98198 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 98198 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Seattle, King County, Washington, with 34,584 residents across 20.0 square miles, a density of 1,732 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.

ZIP 98198 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $86,239 (5% below the Washington average), while per-capita income is $41,819. Poverty here runs at 12.9%, with unemployment measured at 7.2%. Housing costs here run $589,500 for a typical home value (15% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,814 a month; 54.8% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 30.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.1, and the average commute is 30 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing King County, letting you compare 98198 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 98198

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Seattle, WA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98198.

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 98198, 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

34,584

Population

20.0

Area (sq mi)

1,732

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 98198?

36.1

Median Age

50.1%

Male

49.9%

Female

30.1%

Foreign-Born

White 41.9%
African American 14.4%
Asian 13.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 1.8%
Two or More Ethnicities 13.2%
Hispanic or Latino 22.5%

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?

$86,239

Median Household Income

-5% vs state

$41,819

Per Capita Income

12.9%

Poverty Rate

7.2%

Unemployment Rate

30.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 98198 ranks nationally

Seattle, WA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$86,239 Top 31% higher than 69% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $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 57.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 30.8%

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

What does housing look like?

15,275

Total Housing Units

14,588

Occupied Units

687

Vacant Units

2.67

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 54.8%
Renter 45.2%

$589,500

Median Home Value

+15% vs state

$1,814

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

+3.9%

YoY Change (2024)

335

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+235%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 98198 have increased 3.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +235% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.9% 231
2021 +15.4% 267
2022 +18.1% 315
2023 +2.4% 323
2024 +3.9% 335

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 653 business establishments in ZIP 98198, employing approximately 6,976 people with a combined annual payroll of $339,552,000.

653

Businesses

6,976

Employees

$339.6M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 99 15.2%
Health care and social assistance 88 13.5%
Other services (except public administration) 81 12.4%
Accommodation and food services 66 10.1%
Retail trade 58 8.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 50 7.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 49 7.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 49 7.5%
Transportation and warehousing 38 5.8%
Wholesale trade 27 4.1%
Finance and insurance 18 2.8%
Manufacturing 11 1.7%
Educational services 7 1.1%
Information 5 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 4 0.6%

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 98198 vs 98032 →

ZIP 98198 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 98198 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 98198 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 98198 ranks #7 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
98032 Kent, WA 33,853 2.5 mi
98158 Seattle, WA 0 3.8 mi
98148 Seattle, WA 10,010 3.5 mi
98188 Seattle, WA 23,111 4.1 mi
98003 Federal Way, WA 44,151 6.2 mi
98166 Seattle, WA 20,301 4.4 mi
98168 Seattle, WA 33,734 6.5 mi
98031 Kent, WA 36,581 5.5 mi
98001 Auburn, WA 31,911 6.2 mi
98023 Federal Way, WA 47,510 6.4 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 98198 in? ▼
ZIP code 98198 (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 98198? ▼
ZIP code 98198 in Seattle, WA has a population of 34,584 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98198? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 98198 is $86,239, which is 13% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98198? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 98198 is $589,500, which is 112% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98198? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 98198 is White at 41.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 22.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98198? ▼
ZIP code 98198 has 653 business establishments employing approximately 6,976 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98198? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98198 are: Construction (99), Health care and social assistance (88), Other services (except public administration) (81). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98198? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98198 increased by 3.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 235%. 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 98198? ▼
In ZIP code 98198, 57.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 30.8% 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 98198? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98198 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 98198? ▼
In ZIP code 98198, approximately 54.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 45.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98198? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98198 is 12.9% 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.