PlainZIP

Ryderwood, WA · standard

ZIP Code 98581

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

424
6/sq mi
$43,009
Median income
$232,500
Median home value
15.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Ryderwood pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

8th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 47%
home value, US ZIPs
6
people per sq mi
96%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98581 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 98581 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ryderwood, Cowlitz County, Washington, home to just 424 residents across 75.7 square miles, a density of 6 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.

ZIP 98581 reports a modest median household income of $43,009 (53% below the Washington average), while per-capita income is $32,853. 11.2% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 0.0%. Housing costs here run $232,500 for a typical home value (55% below the state average), with rent averaging - a month; 95.6% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 15.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 72.1, and the average commute is -. To put 98581 in local context, 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Cowlitz County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 →

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 98581, Ryderwood, 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

424

Population

75.7

Area (sq mi)

6

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 98581?

72.1

Median Age

44.2%

Male

55.8%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 96.7%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 0.2%
Hispanic or Latino 3.1%

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?

$43,009

Median Household Income

-53% vs state

$32,853

Per Capita Income

11.2%

Poverty Rate

0.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 98581 ranks nationally

Ryderwood, WA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$43,009 8th percentile higher than 8% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $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 30.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 15.8%

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

What does housing look like?

251

Total Housing Units

251

Occupied Units

0

Vacant Units

1.67

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 95.6%
Renter 4.4%

$232,500

Median Home Value

-55% vs state

1942

Median Year Built

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

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 98581 vs 98593 →

ZIP 98581 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 98581 ranks #4 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 98581 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 98581 ranks #5 of 5 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
98593 Vader, WA 1,113 4.5 mi
98632 Longview, WA 49,205 9.7 mi
98538 Curtis, WA 304 9.2 mi
98596 Winlock, WA 6,524 11.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Cowlitz County

98632 standard
Longview, WA
Pop: 49,205
98626 standard
Kelso, WA
Pop: 24,523
98674 standard
Woodland, WA
Pop: 12,029
98611 standard
Castle Rock, WA
Pop: 9,133
98625 standard
Kalama, WA
Pop: 6,133
98645 standard
Silverlake, WA
Pop: 1,429

Related Areas

Cowlitz County Ryderwood, WA Washington

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 98581 in? ▼
ZIP code 98581 (Ryderwood) is located in Cowlitz County, Washington. Cowlitz County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/cowlitz-wa.
What is the population of ZIP code 98581? ▼
ZIP code 98581 in Ryderwood, WA has a population of 424 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98581? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 98581 is $43,009, which is 44% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98581? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 98581 is $232,500, which is 16% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98581? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 98581 is White at 96.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.1% of the population.
What is the education level in ZIP code 98581? ▼
In ZIP code 98581, 30.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 15.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 98581? ▼
In ZIP code 98581, approximately 95.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 4.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98581? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98581 is 11.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.