Rochester, WA · standard
ZIP Code 98579
Thurston County, Washington - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 12,870
- 55/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $99,411
- Median income Above-median income area
- $463,400
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 20.6%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Rochester pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 19%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 15%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 55
- people per sq mi
- 80%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98579 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 98579 (Rochester, WA) rose +5.0% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 316.6 in 2023 to 332.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 98579 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Rochester, Thurston County, Washington, home to 12,870 residents across 234.4 square miles, a density of 55 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 98579 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $99,411 (9% above the average Washington ZIP), while per-capita income is $38,147. The poverty rate is 11.8%, with unemployment at 4.5%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $463,400 (9% below the average Washington ZIP) and median rent is $1,532; 80.2% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.6, and the average commute is 29 minutes. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Thurston County, so 98579 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 98579
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Rochester, WA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98579.
- Construction
Construction
62 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
31 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 19
Accommodation and food services
19 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing 18
Real estate and rental and leasing
18 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 16
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
16 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 98579, Rochester, 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
12,870
Population
234.4
Area (sq mi)
55
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 98579?
41.6
Median Age
51.1%
Male
48.9%
Female
4.3%
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?
$99,411
Median Household Income
+9% vs state ZIP avg
$38,147
Per Capita Income
11.8%
Poverty Rate
4.5%
Unemployment Rate
29.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 98579 ranks among Washington ZIPs
Rochester, 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)
$99,411 Top 31% higher than 69% 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
5,234housing units
5,234
Total Housing Units
5,023
Occupied Units
211
Vacant Units
2.79
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$463,400
Median Home Value
-9% vs state ZIP avg
$1,532
Median Rent
1994
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
+5.0%
YoY Change (2024)
332
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+232%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 98579 have increased 5.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +232% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.7% | 235 |
| 2021 | +16.7% | 274 |
| 2022 | +18.6% | 324 |
| 2023 | -2.4% | 317 |
| 2024 | +5.0% | 332 |
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 235 business establishments in ZIP 98579, employing approximately 1,956 people with a combined annual payroll of $84,522,000.
235
Businesses
1,956
Employees
$84.5M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 62 | 26.4% |
| Retail trade | 31 | 13.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 19 | 8.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 18 | 7.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 16 | 6.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 15 | 6.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 15 | 6.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 12 | 5.1% |
| Manufacturing | 10 | 4.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 10 | 4.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 9 | 3.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 6 | 2.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 6 | 2.5% |
| Information | 3 | 1.3% |
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 98579 vs 98544 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98544 | Galvin, WA | 73 | 6.0 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 98579, 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 (12,870 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 98579 in?
ZIP code 98579 (Rochester) 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 98579?
ZIP code 98579 in Rochester, WA has a population of 12,870 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98579?
The median household income in ZIP 98579 is $99,411, which is 30% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98579?
The median home value in ZIP 98579 is $463,400, which is 67% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98579?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98579 is White at 80.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98579?
ZIP code 98579 has 235 business establishments employing approximately 1,956 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98579?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98579 are: Construction (62), Retail trade (31), Accommodation and food services (19). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98579?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98579 increased by 5.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 232%. 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 98579?
In ZIP code 98579, 53.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.6% 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 98579?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98579 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 98579?
In ZIP code 98579, approximately 80.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 19.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98579?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98579 is 11.8% 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 98579's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 98579 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Rochester, 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.