Tacoma, WA · standard

ZIP Code 98421

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

1,308
76/sq mi
$26,307
Median income
15.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Tacoma pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country, in a rural, renter-heavy area.

1th pct
household income, US ZIPs
76
people per sq mi
5%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98421 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 98421 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 17.3 square miles in Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington. The area is home to 1,308 residents, producing a population density of 76 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 98421 against Washington and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 98421 sits at $26,307 (71% below the Washington average), while per-capita income is $14,714. The poverty rate stands at 39.1% and the unemployment rate at 0.0%. On housing, the median home value is with median rent at $1,083 per month, and 5.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 98421 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 15.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.1, and the average commute is . We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Pierce County, so you can benchmark 98421 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 98421

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98421.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 98421, Tacoma, 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

1,308

Population

17.3

Area (sq mi)

76

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 98421?

33.1

Median Age

87.0%

Male

13.0%

Female

26.4%

Foreign-Born

White 38.7%
African American 15.1%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 5.4%
Two or More Ethnicities 18.4%
Hispanic or Latino 22.6%

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?

$26,307

Median Household Income

-71% vs state

$14,714

Per Capita Income

39.1%

Poverty Rate

0.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 98421 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$26,307 1st percentile higher than 1% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $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 46.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 15.1%

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

What does housing look like?

108

Total Housing Units

95

Occupied Units

13

Vacant Units

1.16

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 5.3%
Renter 94.7%

$1,083

Median Rent

2017

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 316 business establishments in ZIP 98421, employing approximately 9,060 people with a combined annual payroll of $704,936,000.

316

Businesses

9,060

Employees

$704.9M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Transportation and warehousing 88 27.9%
Wholesale trade 49 15.5%
Manufacturing 48 15.2%
Other services (except public administration) 25 7.9%
Retail trade 18 5.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 18 5.7%
Construction 14 4.4%
Accommodation and food services 14 4.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 13 4.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 13 4.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.6%
Management of companies and enterprises 4 1.3%
Health care and social assistance 4 1.3%
Finance and insurance 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 98421 vs 98422 →

ZIP 98421 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 98421 ranks #0 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 98421 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 98421 ranks #null 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
98422 Tacoma, WA 20,151 2.1 mi
98402 Tacoma, WA 6,356 2.0 mi
98404 Tacoma, WA 32,086 3.5 mi
98403 Tacoma, WA 7,713 2.8 mi
98424 Tacoma, WA 10,140 2.8 mi
98443 Tacoma, WA 5,371 4.0 mi
98418 Tacoma, WA 10,069 3.3 mi
98416 Tacoma, WA 1,014 3.8 mi
98405 Tacoma, WA 22,851 3.5 mi
98023 Federal Way, WA 47,510 3.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Pierce County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 98421 in?
ZIP code 98421 (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 98421?
ZIP code 98421 in Tacoma, WA has a population of 1,308 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98421?
The median household income in ZIP 98421 is $26,307, which is 66% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98421?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98421 is White at 38.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 22.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98421?
ZIP code 98421 has 316 business establishments employing approximately 9,060 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98421?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98421 are: Transportation and warehousing (88), Wholesale trade (49), Manufacturing (48). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 98421?
In ZIP code 98421, 46.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 15.1% 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 98421?
In ZIP code 98421, approximately 5.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 94.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98421?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98421 is 39.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

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Official Data Resources for Tacoma, WA

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