Point Roberts, WA · standard
ZIP Code 98281
Whatcom County, Washington - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,314
- 104/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $78,125
- Median income Near-median income area
- $483,900
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 44.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Point Roberts pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 41%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 14%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 104
- people per sq mi
- 86%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98281 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 98281 (Point Roberts, WA) rose +16.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 315.5 in 2023 to 367.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 98281 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Point Roberts, Whatcom County, Washington, home to just 1,314 residents across 12.6 square miles, a density of 104 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 98281 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $78,125 (14% below the average Washington ZIP), while per-capita income is $85,419. The poverty rate is 14.9%, with unemployment at 2.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $483,900 (5% below the average Washington ZIP) and median rent is $1,095; 86.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 44.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 58.2, and the average commute is -. No nearby ZIP peer set is available for this delivery area, so the Washington and national benchmarks above are the appropriate context for 98281.
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 98281
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Point Roberts, WA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98281.
- Construction
Construction
10 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
8 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
8 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
7 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
6 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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 98281, Point Roberts, 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
1,314
Population
12.6
Area (sq mi)
104
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 98281?
58.2
Median Age
50.6%
Male
49.4%
Female
42.8%
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?
$78,125
Median Household Income
-14% vs state ZIP avg
$85,419
Per Capita Income
14.9%
Poverty Rate
2.4%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 98281 ranks among Washington ZIPs
Point Roberts, WA household income vs. every Washington ZIP code
Median household income among 547 reporting Washington ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$78,125 40th percentile higher than 40% of 547 Washington ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Washington 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
2,105housing units
2,105
Total Housing Units
743
Occupied Units
1,362
Vacant Units
1.73
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$483,900
Median Home Value
-5% vs state ZIP avg
$1,095
Median Rent
1980
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
+16.5%
YoY Change (2024)
367
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+267%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 98281 have increased 16.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +267% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -1.0% | 246 |
| 2021 | +15.3% | 284 |
| 2022 | +23.2% | 349 |
| 2023 | -9.7% | 316 |
| 2024 | +16.5% | 367 |
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 59 business establishments in ZIP 98281, employing approximately 149 people with a combined annual payroll of $6,387,000.
59
Businesses
149
Employees
$6.4M
Annual Payroll
9
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 10 | 16.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 8 | 13.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 8 | 13.6% |
| Retail trade | 7 | 11.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 10.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 4 | 6.8% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 5.1% |
| Information | 3 | 5.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 5.1% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 98281, both outside WA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (1,314 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Whatcom County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 98281 in?
ZIP code 98281 (Point Roberts) is located in Whatcom County, Washington. Whatcom County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/whatcom-wa.
What is the population of ZIP code 98281?
ZIP code 98281 in Point Roberts, WA has a population of 1,314 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98281?
The median household income in ZIP 98281 is $78,125, which is 2% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98281?
The median home value in ZIP 98281 is $483,900, which is 74% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98281?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98281 is White at 85.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98281?
ZIP code 98281 has 59 business establishments employing approximately 149 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98281?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98281 are: Construction (10), Real estate and rental and leasing (8), Professional, scientific, and technical services (8). There are 9 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98281?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98281 increased by 16.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 267%. 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 98281?
In ZIP code 98281, 63.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 44.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 98281?
In ZIP code 98281, approximately 86.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98281?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98281 is 14.9% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 98281's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 98281 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Point Roberts, WA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.