Custer, WA · standard
ZIP Code 98240
Whatcom County, Washington — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,061
- 57/sq mi
- $110,116
- Median income
- $619,700
- Median home value
- 23.6%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Custer pairs an upper-quartile household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 13%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 8%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 57
- people per sq mi
- 93%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98240 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 98240 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 53.6 square miles in Custer, Whatcom County, Washington. The area is home to 3,061 residents, producing a population density of 57 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 98240 against Washington and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 98240 sits at $110,116 (21% above the Washington average), while per-capita income is $47,642. The poverty rate stands at 4.3% and the unemployment rate at 8.0%. On housing, the median home value is $619,700 (21% above the state average) with median rent at — per month, and 93.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 98240 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 23.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.9, and the average commute is —. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Whatcom County, so you can benchmark 98240 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 98240
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98240.
- Construction
Construction
19 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
9 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 7
Professional, scientific, and technical services
7 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 7
Other services (except public administration)
7 establishments
- Wholesale trade 5
Wholesale trade
5 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 98240, Custer, 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
3,061
Population
53.6
Area (sq mi)
57
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 98240?
36.9
Median Age
50.1%
Male
49.9%
Female
12.0%
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?
$110,116
Median Household Income
+21% vs state
$47,642
Per Capita Income
4.3%
Poverty Rate
8.0%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 98240 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$110,116 Top 13% higher than 87% 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?
1,345
Total Housing Units
1,265
Occupied Units
80
Vacant Units
2.83
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$619,700
Median Home Value
+21% vs state
1989
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
+10.5%
YoY Change (2024)
381
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+281%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 98240 have increased 10.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +281% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.1% | 239 |
| 2021 | +13.0% | 270 |
| 2022 | +8.8% | 294 |
| 2023 | +17.4% | 345 |
| 2024 | +10.5% | 381 |
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 71 business establishments in ZIP 98240, employing approximately 381 people with a combined annual payroll of $17,687,000.
71
Businesses
381
Employees
$17.7M
Annual Payroll
10
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 19 | 26.8% |
| Retail trade | 9 | 12.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 7 | 9.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 7 | 9.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 7.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 5 | 7.0% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 4.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 4.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 4.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 3 | 4.2% |
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 98240 vs 98248 →
ZIP 98240 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98248
Ferndale (98248)
22,361 residents
- 98230
Blaine (98230)
15,710 residents
- 98240 3,061
Custer (98240)
3,061 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 98240 ranks #3 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 98240 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98240
Custer (98240)
$110,116 median income
- 98248
Ferndale (98248)
$91,060 median income
- 98230
Blaine (98230)
$86,623 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 98240 ranks the highest of 3 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Whatcom County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 98240 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 98240? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 98240? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 98240? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98240? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98240? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98240? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98240? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 98240? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 98240? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98240? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Custer, WA
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.