Buckley, WA · standard
ZIP Code 98321
Pierce County, Washington - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 15,152
- 163/sq mi High-density area
- $127,411
- Median income Above-median income area
- $571,200
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 22.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Buckley pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 8%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 10%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 163
- people per sq mi
- 91%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98321 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 98321 (Buckley, WA) rose +5.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 316.1 in 2023 to 334.1 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 98321 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Buckley, Pierce County, Washington, home to 15,152 residents across 93.0 square miles, a density of 163 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 98321 skews affluent, with a median household income of $127,411 (40% above the average Washington ZIP), while per-capita income is $55,552. The poverty rate is 4.7%, with unemployment at 4.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $571,200 (12% above the average Washington ZIP) and median rent is $1,760; 90.7% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.2, and the average commute is 34 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Pierce County, so 98321 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 98321
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Buckley, WA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98321.
- Construction
Construction
88 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing 32
Real estate and rental and leasing
32 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 32
Other services (except public administration)
32 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 23
Accommodation and food services
23 establishments
- Retail trade 22
Retail trade
22 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 98321, Buckley, 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
15,152
Population
93.0
Area (sq mi)
163
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 98321?
41.2
Median Age
51.6%
Male
48.4%
Female
3.0%
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?
$127,411
Median Household Income
+40% vs state ZIP avg
$55,552
Per Capita Income
4.7%
Poverty Rate
4.0%
Unemployment Rate
34.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 98321 ranks among Washington ZIPs
Buckley, 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)
$127,411 Top 12% higher than 88% 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
6,347housing units
6,347
Total Housing Units
6,055
Occupied Units
292
Vacant Units
2.94
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$571,200
Median Home Value
+12% vs state ZIP avg
$1,760
Median Rent
1994
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
+5.7%
YoY Change (2024)
334
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+234%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 98321 have increased 5.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +234% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +6.3% | 230 |
| 2021 | +13.8% | 261 |
| 2022 | +15.7% | 303 |
| 2023 | +4.5% | 316 |
| 2024 | +5.7% | 334 |
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 329 business establishments in ZIP 98321, employing approximately 1,741 people with a combined annual payroll of $95,859,000.
329
Businesses
1,741
Employees
$95.9M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 88 | 26.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 32 | 9.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 32 | 9.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 23 | 7.0% |
| Retail trade | 22 | 6.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 22 | 6.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 21 | 6.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 21 | 6.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 15 | 4.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 14 | 4.3% |
| Manufacturing | 12 | 3.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 7 | 2.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 7 | 2.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 5 | 1.5% |
| Information | 3 | 0.9% |
| Educational services | 3 | 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 98321 vs 98385 →
ZIP 98321 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98391
Bonney Lake (98391)
44,309 residents
- 98092
Auburn (98092)
39,816 residents
- 98321 15,152
Buckley (98321)
15,152 residents
- 98360 12,221
Orting (98360)
12,221 residents
- 98396 662
Wilkeson (98396)
662 residents
- 98385 459
South Prairie (98385)
459 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 98321 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 98321 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98385
South Prairie (98385)
$152,500 median income
- 98391
Bonney Lake (98391)
$135,037 median income
- 98321
Buckley (98321)
$127,411 median income
- 98360
Orting (98360)
$125,842 median income
- 98092
Auburn (98092)
$122,300 median income
- 98396
Wilkeson (98396)
$112,031 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 98321 ranks #3 of 6 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 98321, 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 (15,152 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Pierce County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 98321 in?
ZIP code 98321 (Buckley) is located in Pierce County, Washington. Pierce County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/pierce-wa.
What is the population of ZIP code 98321?
ZIP code 98321 in Buckley, WA has a population of 15,152 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98321?
The median household income in ZIP 98321 is $127,411, which is 67% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98321?
The median home value in ZIP 98321 is $571,200, which is 105% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98321?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98321 is White at 86.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98321?
ZIP code 98321 has 329 business establishments employing approximately 1,741 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98321?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98321 are: Construction (88), Real estate and rental and leasing (32), Other services (except public administration) (32). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98321?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98321 increased by 5.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 234%. 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 98321?
In ZIP code 98321, 52.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.1% 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 98321?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98321 is 34.3 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 98321?
In ZIP code 98321, approximately 90.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 9.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98321?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98321 is 4.7% 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 98321's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 98321 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Buckley, 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.