Elma, WA · standard
ZIP Code 98541
Grays Harbor County, Washington - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 10,101
- 18/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $78,816
- Median income Near-median income area
- $390,000
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 16.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Elma pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 40%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 22%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 18
- people per sq mi
- 79%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98541 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 98541 (Elma, WA) rose +5.6% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 291.8 in 2023 to 308.1 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 98541 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Elma, Grays Harbor County, Washington, home to 10,101 residents across 549.0 square miles, a density of 18 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 98541 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $78,816 (13% below the average Washington ZIP), while per-capita income is $36,082. The poverty rate is 15.1%, with unemployment at 7.9%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $390,000 (24% below the average Washington ZIP), and median rent is $974; owner occupancy is 78.7%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 16.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.2, and the average commute is 34 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Grays Harbor County, so 98541 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 98541
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Elma, WA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98541.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
25 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
24 establishments
- Construction
Construction
21 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
16 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
13 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 98541, Elma, 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
10,101
Population
549.0
Area (sq mi)
18
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 98541?
44.2
Median Age
52.5%
Male
47.5%
Female
4.9%
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?
$78,816
Median Household Income
-13% vs state ZIP avg
$36,082
Per Capita Income
15.1%
Poverty Rate
7.9%
Unemployment Rate
33.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 98541 ranks among Washington ZIPs
Elma, WA household income vs. every Washington ZIP code
Median household income among 547 reporting Washington ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$78,816 42nd percentile higher than 42% of 547 Washington ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Washington 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
4,657housing units
4,657
Total Housing Units
3,870
Occupied Units
787
Vacant Units
2.77
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$390,000
Median Home Value
-24% vs state ZIP avg
$974
Median Rent
1980
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
+5.6%
YoY Change (2024)
308
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+208%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 98541 have increased 5.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +208% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +6.4% | 208 |
| 2021 | +18.2% | 245 |
| 2022 | +14.4% | 281 |
| 2023 | +4.0% | 292 |
| 2024 | +5.6% | 308 |
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 181 business establishments in ZIP 98541, employing approximately 1,967 people with a combined annual payroll of $118,489,000.
181
Businesses
1,967
Employees
$118.5M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 25 | 13.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 24 | 13.3% |
| Construction | 21 | 11.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 16 | 8.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 13 | 7.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 11 | 6.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 10 | 5.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 10 | 5.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 9 | 5.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 8 | 4.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 8 | 4.4% |
| Manufacturing | 7 | 3.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 7 | 3.9% |
| Information | 4 | 2.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 1.7% |
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 98541 vs 98557 →
ZIP 98541 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98541
Elma (98541)
10,101 residents
- 98557 3,225
Mccleary (98557)
3,225 residents
- 98583 124
Satsop (98583)
124 residents
- 98559 93
Malone (98559)
93 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 98541 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 98541 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98541
Elma (98541)
$78,816 median income
- 98557
Mccleary (98557)
$78,594 median income
- 98583
Satsop (98583)
$62,750 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 98541 ranks the highest of 3 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 98541, 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 (10,101 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Grays Harbor County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 98541 in?
ZIP code 98541 (Elma) is located in Grays Harbor County, Washington. Grays Harbor County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/grays-harbor-wa.
What is the population of ZIP code 98541?
ZIP code 98541 in Elma, WA has a population of 10,101 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98541?
The median household income in ZIP 98541 is $78,816, which is 3% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98541?
The median home value in ZIP 98541 is $390,000, which is 40% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98541?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98541 is White at 79.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 12.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98541?
ZIP code 98541 has 181 business establishments employing approximately 1,967 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98541?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98541 are: Retail trade (25), Other services (except public administration) (24), Construction (21). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98541?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98541 increased by 5.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 208%. 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 98541?
In ZIP code 98541, 51.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 16.2% 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 98541?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98541 is 33.6 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 98541?
In ZIP code 98541, approximately 78.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98541?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98541 is 15.1% 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 98541's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 98541 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Elma, 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.