Olympia, WA · standard
ZIP Code 98501
Thurston County, Washington - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 38,133
- 428/sq mi High-density area
- $97,198
- Median income Above-median income area
- $529,300
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 51.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Olympia pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 21%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 12%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 428
- people per sq mi
- 62%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98501 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 98501 (Olympia, WA) rose +6.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 320.6 in 2023 to 341.6 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 98501 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Olympia, Thurston County, Washington, with 38,133 residents across 89.2 square miles, a density of 428 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 98501 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $97,198 (7% above the average Washington ZIP), while per-capita income is $48,384. The poverty rate is 6.8%, with unemployment at 5.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $529,300 (4% above the average Washington ZIP) and median rent is $1,697; 61.7% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 51.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.5, and the average commute is 21 minutes. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Thurston County, so 98501 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 98501
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Olympia, WA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98501.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
185 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
175 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
165 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
163 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
155 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 98501, Olympia, 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
38,133
Population
89.2
Area (sq mi)
428
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 98501?
39.5
Median Age
49.1%
Male
50.9%
Female
6.7%
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?
$97,198
Median Household Income
+7% vs state ZIP avg
$48,384
Per Capita Income
6.8%
Poverty Rate
5.7%
Unemployment Rate
21.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 98501 ranks nationally
Olympia, WA household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$97,198 Top 21% higher than 79% 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
20,717housing units
20,717
Total Housing Units
19,783
Occupied Units
934
Vacant Units
2.41
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$529,300
Median Home Value
+4% vs state ZIP avg
$1,697
Median Rent
1986
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
+6.5%
YoY Change (2024)
342
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+242%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 98501 have increased 6.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +242% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +7.9% | 235 |
| 2021 | +14.0% | 267 |
| 2022 | +17.1% | 313 |
| 2023 | +2.5% | 321 |
| 2024 | +6.5% | 342 |
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 1,458 business establishments in ZIP 98501, employing approximately 16,532 people with a combined annual payroll of $981,449,000.
1,458
Businesses
16,532
Employees
$981.4M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 185 | 12.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 175 | 12.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 165 | 11.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 163 | 11.2% |
| Retail trade | 155 | 10.6% |
| Construction | 150 | 10.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 93 | 6.4% |
| Finance and insurance | 82 | 5.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 59 | 4.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 41 | 2.8% |
| Information | 40 | 2.7% |
| Manufacturing | 38 | 2.6% |
| Educational services | 30 | 2.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 30 | 2.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 28 | 1.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 13 | 0.9% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 8 | 0.6% |
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 98501 vs 98503 →
ZIP 98501 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98501
Olympia (98501)
38,133 residents
- 98503
Lacey (98503)
36,611 residents
- 98513
Olympia (98513)
31,975 residents
- 98502
Olympia (98502)
30,491 residents
- 98516
Olympia (98516)
20,166 residents
- 98506
Olympia (98506)
18,199 residents
- 98589 7,320
Tenino (98589)
7,320 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 98501 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 98501 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98513
Olympia (98513)
$113,053 median income
- 98516
Olympia (98516)
$98,892 median income
- 98501
Olympia (98501)
$97,198 median income
- 98502
Olympia (98502)
$92,207 median income
- 98506
Olympia (98506)
$91,596 median income
- 98503
Lacey (98503)
$89,002 median income
- 98589
Tenino (98589)
$83,855 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 98501 ranks #3 of 7 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 98501, 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 (38,133 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Thurston County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 98501 in?
ZIP code 98501 (Olympia) is located in Thurston County, Washington. Thurston County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/thurston-wa.
What is the population of ZIP code 98501?
ZIP code 98501 in Olympia, WA has a population of 38,133 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98501?
The median household income in ZIP 98501 is $97,198, which is 27% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98501?
The median home value in ZIP 98501 is $529,300, which is 90% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98501?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98501 is White at 75.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98501?
ZIP code 98501 has 1,458 business establishments employing approximately 16,532 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98501?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98501 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (185), Health care and social assistance (175), Other services (except public administration) (165). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98501?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98501 increased by 6.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 242%. 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 98501?
In ZIP code 98501, 67.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 51.0% 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 98501?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98501 is 21.2 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 98501?
In ZIP code 98501, approximately 61.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 38.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98501?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98501 is 6.8% 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 98501's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 98501 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Olympia, WA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.