Olympia, WA · standard

ZIP Code 98506

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

18,199
314/sq mi
$91,596
Median income
$490,900
Median home value
50.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Olympia pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 25%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 13%
home value, US ZIPs
314
people per sq mi
66%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98506 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 98506 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 58.0 square miles in Olympia, Thurston County, Washington. The area is home to 18,199 residents, producing a population density of 314 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 98506 against Washington and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 98506 sits at $91,596 (1% above the Washington average), while per-capita income is $53,973. The poverty rate stands at 12.0% and the unemployment rate at 9.4%. On housing, the median home value is $490,900 (4% below the state average) with median rent at $1,461 per month, and 66.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 98506 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 50.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.4, and the average commute is 24 minutes. We also surface 6 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Thurston County, so you can benchmark 98506 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 98506

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98506.

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 98506, Olympia, 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

18,199

Population

58.0

Area (sq mi)

314

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 98506?

48.4

Median Age

46.2%

Male

53.8%

Female

7.7%

Foreign-Born

White 80.4%
African American 1.9%
Asian 5.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.4%
Hispanic or Latino 6.8%

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?

$91,596

Median Household Income

+1% vs state

$53,973

Per Capita Income

12.0%

Poverty Rate

9.4%

Unemployment Rate

24.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 98506 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$91,596 Top 25% higher than 75% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 69.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 50.8%

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

What does housing look like?

9,133

Total Housing Units

8,610

Occupied Units

523

Vacant Units

2.11

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 66.3%
Renter 33.7%

$490,900

Median Home Value

-4% vs state

$1,461

Median Rent

1977

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

+1.3%

YoY Change (2024)

344

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+244%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 98506 have increased 1.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +244% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.5% 241
2021 +13.9% 275
2022 +17.0% 321
2023 +5.6% 339
2024 +1.3% 344

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 618 business establishments in ZIP 98506, employing approximately 9,373 people with a combined annual payroll of $590,062,000.

618

Businesses

9,373

Employees

$590.1M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 198 32.0%
Other services (except public administration) 72 11.7%
Construction 63 10.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 56 9.1%
Retail trade 46 7.4%
Accommodation and food services 41 6.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 33 5.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 32 5.2%
Wholesale trade 18 2.9%
Finance and insurance 16 2.6%
Transportation and warehousing 8 1.3%
Information 8 1.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 8 1.3%
Manufacturing 6 1.0%
Educational services 5 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 3 0.5%
Industries not classified 3 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 98506 vs 98516 →

ZIP 98506 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 98506 ranks #6 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 98506 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 98506 ranks #6 of 7 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
98516 Olympia, WA 20,166 4.2 mi
98501 Olympia, WA 38,133 8.6 mi
98502 Olympia, WA 30,491 6.6 mi
98503 Lacey, WA 36,611 6.4 mi
98351 Longbranch, WA 1,115 8.5 mi
98513 Olympia, WA 31,975 10.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Thurston County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 98506 in?
ZIP code 98506 (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 98506?
ZIP code 98506 in Olympia, WA has a population of 18,199 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98506?
The median household income in ZIP 98506 is $91,596, which is 20% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98506?
The median home value in ZIP 98506 is $490,900, which is 76% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98506?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98506 is White at 80.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98506?
ZIP code 98506 has 618 business establishments employing approximately 9,373 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98506?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98506 are: Health care and social assistance (198), Other services (except public administration) (72), Construction (63). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98506?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98506 increased by 1.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 244%. 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 98506?
In ZIP code 98506, 69.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 50.8% 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 98506?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98506 is 24.1 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 98506?
In ZIP code 98506, approximately 66.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 33.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98506?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98506 is 12.0% 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 Olympia, WA

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