Tacoma, WA · standard
ZIP Code 98402
Pierce County, Washington - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 6,356
- 2,606/sq mi High-density area
- $60,505
- Median income Below-median income area
- $531,300
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 43.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Tacoma pairs a below-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a suburban-density, renter-heavy area.
- 30th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 12%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 2,606
- people per sq mi
- 18%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98402 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 98402 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington, home to 6,356 residents across 2.4 square miles, a density of 2,606 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 98402 reports a modest median household income of $60,505 (33% below the average Washington ZIP), while per-capita income is $49,089. The poverty rate is 22.9%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Median home value is $531,300 (4% above the average Washington ZIP) and median rent is $1,553; 17.8% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 43.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.5, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Pierce County, so 98402 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 98402
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Tacoma, WA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98402.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
187 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
120 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
106 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
101 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
99 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 98402, Tacoma, 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
6,356
Population
2.4
Area (sq mi)
2,606
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 98402?
33.5
Median Age
49.7%
Male
50.3%
Female
8.9%
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?
$60,505
Median Household Income
-33% vs state ZIP avg
$49,089
Per Capita Income
22.9%
Poverty Rate
5.4%
Unemployment Rate
22.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 98402 ranks among Washington ZIPs
Tacoma, 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)
$60,505 15th percentile higher than 15% 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
5,007housing units
5,007
Total Housing Units
4,625
Occupied Units
382
Vacant Units
1.49
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$531,300
Median Home Value
+4% vs state ZIP avg
$1,553
Median Rent
1988
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 910 business establishments in ZIP 98402, employing approximately 24,093 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,062,583,000.
910
Businesses
24,093
Employees
$2.1B
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 187 | 20.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 120 | 13.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 106 | 11.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 101 | 11.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 99 | 10.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 73 | 8.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 46 | 5.0% |
| Retail trade | 34 | 3.7% |
| Construction | 27 | 3.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 27 | 3.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 25 | 2.8% |
| Manufacturing | 18 | 2.0% |
| Information | 14 | 1.5% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 13 | 1.4% |
| Educational services | 9 | 1.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 8 | 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 98402 vs 98418 →
ZIP 98402 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98404
Tacoma (98404)
32,086 residents
- 98409
Tacoma (98409)
22,989 residents
- 98405
Tacoma (98405)
22,851 residents
- 98406
Tacoma (98406)
21,610 residents
- 98422
Tacoma (98422)
20,151 residents
- 98408
Tacoma (98408)
18,830 residents
- 98418 10,069
Tacoma (98418)
10,069 residents
- 98403 7,713
Tacoma (98403)
7,713 residents
- 98402 6,356
Tacoma (98402)
6,356 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 98402 ranks #9 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 98402 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98422
Tacoma (98422)
$118,604 median income
- 98406
Tacoma (98406)
$104,264 median income
- 98418
Tacoma (98418)
$89,706 median income
- 98403
Tacoma (98403)
$88,056 median income
- 98404
Tacoma (98404)
$82,191 median income
- 98408
Tacoma (98408)
$80,899 median income
- 98405
Tacoma (98405)
$75,946 median income
- 98409
Tacoma (98409)
$73,348 median income
- 98402
Tacoma (98402)
$60,505 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 98402 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98418 | Tacoma, WA | 10,069 | 1.8 mi |
| 98405 | Tacoma, WA | 22,851 | 1.6 mi |
| 98403 | Tacoma, WA | 7,713 | 1.5 mi |
| 98421 | Tacoma, WA | 1,308 | 2.0 mi |
| 98416 | Tacoma, WA | 1,014 | 2.2 mi |
| 98408 | Tacoma, WA | 18,830 | 3.5 mi |
| 98404 | Tacoma, WA | 32,086 | 3.0 mi |
| 98409 | Tacoma, WA | 22,989 | 3.3 mi |
| 98406 | Tacoma, WA | 21,610 | 3.4 mi |
| 98422 | Tacoma, WA | 20,151 | 3.6 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 98402, 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 (6,356 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 98402 in?
ZIP code 98402 (Tacoma) 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 98402?
ZIP code 98402 in Tacoma, WA has a population of 6,356 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98402?
The median household income in ZIP 98402 is $60,505, which is 21% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98402?
The median home value in ZIP 98402 is $531,300, which is 91% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98402?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98402 is White at 66.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 11.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98402?
ZIP code 98402 has 910 business establishments employing approximately 24,093 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98402?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98402 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (187), Health care and social assistance (120), Finance and insurance (106). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 98402?
In ZIP code 98402, 63.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 43.4% 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 98402?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98402 is 22.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 98402?
In ZIP code 98402, approximately 17.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 82.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98402?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98402 is 22.9% 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 98402's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 98402 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Tacoma, 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.