Lakewood, WA · standard

ZIP Code 98499

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

29,750
1,244/sq mi
$67,292
Median income
$408,500
Median home value
18.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lakewood pairs a below-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, renter-heavy area.

42th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 20%
home value, US ZIPs
1,244
people per sq mi
38%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98499 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 98499 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 23.9 square miles in Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington. The area is home to 29,750 residents, producing a population density of 1,244 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 98499 against Washington and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 98499 sits at $67,292 (26% below the Washington average), while per-capita income is $41,917. The poverty rate stands at 16.7% and the unemployment rate at 5.9%. On housing, the median home value is $408,500 (20% below the state average) with median rent at $1,473 per month, and 37.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 98499 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 18.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.2, and the average commute is 29 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Pierce County, so you can benchmark 98499 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 98499

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98499.

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 98499, 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

29,750

Population

23.9

Area (sq mi)

1,244

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 98499?

36.2

Median Age

48.8%

Male

51.2%

Female

18.4%

Foreign-Born

White 43.8%
African American 16.9%
Asian 6.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 5.4%
Two or More Ethnicities 18.8%
Hispanic or Latino 22.7%

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?

$67,292

Median Household Income

-26% vs state

$41,917

Per Capita Income

16.7%

Poverty Rate

5.9%

Unemployment Rate

29.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 98499 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$67,292 42nd percentile higher than 42% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 48.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 18.5%

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

What does housing look like?

14,860

Total Housing Units

13,904

Occupied Units

956

Vacant Units

2.32

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 37.9%
Renter 62.1%

$408,500

Median Home Value

-20% vs state

$1,473

Median Rent

1975

Median Year Built

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

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+5.9%

YoY Change (2024)

343

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+243%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 98499 have increased 5.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +243% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +7.3% 238
2021 +18.3% 282
2022 +14.5% 323
2023 +0.1% 324
2024 +5.9% 343

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 1,272 business establishments in ZIP 98499, employing approximately 17,707 people with a combined annual payroll of $954,920,000.

1,272

Businesses

17,707

Employees

$954.9M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 203 16.0%
Health care and social assistance 193 15.2%
Accommodation and food services 157 12.3%
Other services (except public administration) 130 10.2%
Construction 108 8.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 88 6.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 81 6.4%
Wholesale trade 73 5.7%
Finance and insurance 68 5.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 56 4.4%
Manufacturing 38 3.0%
Transportation and warehousing 28 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 19 1.5%
Information 13 1.0%
Educational services 9 0.7%
Management of companies and enterprises 4 0.3%

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 98499 vs 98438 →

ZIP 98499 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 98499 ranks #2 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 98499 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 98499 ranks #7 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
98438 Mcchord Afb, WA 366 2.5 mi
98439 Lakewood, WA 4,839 3.0 mi
98498 Lakewood, WA 27,546 2.3 mi
98409 Tacoma, WA 22,989 3.3 mi
98444 Tacoma, WA 33,956 2.9 mi
98467 University Place, WA 14,728 3.2 mi
98447 Tacoma, WA 842 3.4 mi
98466 Tacoma, WA 26,944 4.4 mi
98408 Tacoma, WA 18,830 3.6 mi
98406 Tacoma, WA 21,610 6.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Pierce County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 98499 in?
ZIP code 98499 (Lakewood) 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 98499?
ZIP code 98499 in Lakewood, WA has a population of 29,750 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98499?
The median household income in ZIP 98499 is $67,292, which is 12% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98499?
The median home value in ZIP 98499 is $408,500, which is 47% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98499?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98499 is White at 43.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 22.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98499?
ZIP code 98499 has 1,272 business establishments employing approximately 17,707 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98499?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98499 are: Retail trade (203), Health care and social assistance (193), Accommodation and food services (157). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98499?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98499 increased by 5.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 243%. 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 98499?
In ZIP code 98499, 48.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 18.5% 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 98499?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98499 is 29.4 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 98499?
In ZIP code 98499, approximately 37.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 62.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98499?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98499 is 16.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Lakewood, WA

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.