Lakewood, WA · standard
ZIP Code 98439
Pierce County, Washington — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 4,839
- 214/sq mi
- $50,509
- Median income
- 10.4%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Lakewood pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country, in a low-density, renter-heavy area.
- 15th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 214
- people per sq mi
- 9%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98439 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 98439 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 22.6 square miles in Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington. The area is home to 4,839 residents, producing a population density of 214 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 98439 against Washington and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 98439 sits at $50,509 (44% below the Washington average), while per-capita income is $22,112. The poverty rate stands at 14.7% and the unemployment rate at 8.1%. On housing, the median home value is — with median rent at $1,873 per month, and 9.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 98439 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 10.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 25.1, and the average commute is 22 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Pierce County, so you can benchmark 98439 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 98439
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98439.
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
8 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
6 establishments
- Construction
Construction
4 establishments
- Retail trade 3
Retail trade
3 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 98439, Lakewood, 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
4,839
Population
22.6
Area (sq mi)
214
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 98439?
25.1
Median Age
54.0%
Male
46.0%
Female
6.0%
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?
$50,509
Median Household Income
-44% vs state
$22,112
Per Capita Income
14.7%
Poverty Rate
8.1%
Unemployment Rate
21.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 98439 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$50,509 15th percentile higher than 15% 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?
2,416
Total Housing Units
2,139
Occupied Units
277
Vacant Units
2.65
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$1,873
Median Rent
1979
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 28 business establishments in ZIP 98439, employing approximately 568 people with a combined annual payroll of $28,133,000.
28
Businesses
568
Employees
$28.1M
Annual Payroll
4
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and warehousing | 8 | 28.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 6 | 21.4% |
| Construction | 4 | 14.3% |
| Retail trade | 3 | 10.7% |
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 98439 vs 98438 →
ZIP 98439 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98444
Tacoma (98444)
33,956 residents
- 98499
Lakewood (98499)
29,750 residents
- 98445
Tacoma (98445)
29,661 residents
- 98498
Lakewood (98498)
27,546 residents
- 98409
Tacoma (98409)
22,989 residents
- 98467
University Place (98467)
14,728 residents
- 98433
Tacoma (98433)
14,584 residents
- 98439 4,839
Lakewood (98439)
4,839 residents
- 98447 842
Tacoma (98447)
842 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 98439 ranks #8 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 98439 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98445
Tacoma (98445)
$92,520 median income
- 98498
Lakewood (98498)
$91,664 median income
- 98467
University Place (98467)
$91,354 median income
- 98409
Tacoma (98409)
$73,348 median income
- 98499
Lakewood (98499)
$67,292 median income
- 98444
Tacoma (98444)
$65,342 median income
- 98433
Tacoma (98433)
$60,158 median income
- 98439
Lakewood (98439)
$50,509 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 98439 ranks #8 of 8 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98438 | Mcchord Afb, WA | 366 | 0.6 mi |
| 98499 | Lakewood, WA | 29,750 | 3.0 mi |
| 98430 | Camp Murray, WA | 13 | 3.2 mi |
| 98447 | Tacoma, WA | 842 | 3.1 mi |
| 98444 | Tacoma, WA | 33,956 | 3.2 mi |
| 98498 | Lakewood, WA | 27,546 | 3.6 mi |
| 98433 | Tacoma, WA | 14,584 | 4.1 mi |
| 98409 | Tacoma, WA | 22,989 | 6.1 mi |
| 98445 | Tacoma, WA | 29,661 | 4.4 mi |
| 98467 | University Place, WA | 14,728 | 5.9 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Pierce County
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Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 98439 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 98439? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 98439? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98439? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98439? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98439? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 98439? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 98439? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 98439? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98439? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Lakewood, 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.