Olympia, WA · standard
ZIP Code 98502
Thurston County, Washington - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 30,491
- 217/sq mi High-density area
- $92,207
- Median income Above-median income area
- $537,200
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 52.0%
- 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, mixed-tenure area.
- Top 25%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 12%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 217
- people per sq mi
- 57%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98502 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 98502 (Olympia, WA) rose +7.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 305.9 in 2023 to 328.8 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 98502 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Olympia, Thurston County, Washington, with 30,491 residents across 140.8 square miles, a density of 217 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 98502 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $92,207 (1% above the average Washington ZIP), while per-capita income is $49,344. The poverty rate is 13.3%, with unemployment at 5.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $537,200 (5% above the average Washington ZIP) and median rent is $1,689; 57.4% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 52.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.6, and the average commute is 23 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Thurston County, so 98502 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 98502
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Olympia, WA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98502.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
209 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
178 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
157 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
103 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
84 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 98502, 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
30,491
Population
140.8
Area (sq mi)
217
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 98502?
40.6
Median Age
49.2%
Male
50.8%
Female
8.0%
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?
$92,207
Median Household Income
+1% vs state ZIP avg
$49,344
Per Capita Income
13.3%
Poverty Rate
5.1%
Unemployment Rate
23.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 98502 ranks nationally
Olympia, WA household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$92,207 Top 25% higher than 75% 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
15,663housing units
15,663
Total Housing Units
14,791
Occupied Units
872
Vacant Units
2.37
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$537,200
Median Home Value
+5% vs state ZIP avg
$1,689
Median Rent
1988
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
+7.5%
YoY Change (2024)
329
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+229%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 98502 have increased 7.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +229% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.2% | 222 |
| 2021 | +15.8% | 257 |
| 2022 | +19.6% | 307 |
| 2023 | -0.3% | 306 |
| 2024 | +7.5% | 329 |
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 1,090 business establishments in ZIP 98502, employing approximately 13,319 people with a combined annual payroll of $680,219,000.
1,090
Businesses
13,319
Employees
$680.2M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 209 | 19.2% |
| Retail trade | 178 | 16.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 157 | 14.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 103 | 9.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 84 | 7.7% |
| Construction | 80 | 7.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 68 | 6.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 60 | 5.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 52 | 4.8% |
| Information | 18 | 1.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 15 | 1.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 14 | 1.3% |
| Educational services | 14 | 1.3% |
| Manufacturing | 13 | 1.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 11 | 1.0% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 7 | 0.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 5 | 0.5% |
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 98502 vs 98506 →
ZIP 98502 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
- 98502
Olympia (98502)
30,491 residents
- 98512
Olympia (98512)
28,130 residents
- 98506
Olympia (98506)
18,199 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 98502 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 98502 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98512
Olympia (98512)
$101,530 median income
- 98501
Olympia (98501)
$97,198 median income
- 98502
Olympia (98502)
$92,207 median income
- 98506
Olympia (98506)
$91,596 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 98502 ranks #3 of 4 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 98502, 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 (30,491 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 98502 in?
ZIP code 98502 (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 98502?
ZIP code 98502 in Olympia, WA has a population of 30,491 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98502?
The median household income in ZIP 98502 is $92,207, which is 21% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98502?
The median home value in ZIP 98502 is $537,200, which is 93% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98502?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98502 is White at 73.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98502?
ZIP code 98502 has 1,090 business establishments employing approximately 13,319 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98502?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98502 are: Health care and social assistance (209), Retail trade (178), Professional, scientific, and technical services (157). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98502?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98502 increased by 7.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 229%. 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 98502?
In ZIP code 98502, 68.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 52.0% 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 98502?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98502 is 23.1 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 98502?
In ZIP code 98502, approximately 57.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98502?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98502 is 13.3% 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 98502's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 98502 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
- 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.