ZIP Code 98597

ZIP code 98597 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 289.0 square miles in Yelm, Thurston County, Washington. The area is home to 21,557 residents, producing a population density of 75 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 98597 against Washington and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 98597 sits at $92,219 (1% above the Washington average), while per-capita income is $39,279. The poverty rate stands at 7.8% and the unemployment rate at 2.7%. On housing, the median home value is $447,600 (12% below the state average) with median rent at $1,638 per month, and 78.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 98597 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 24.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.7, and the average commute is 36 minutes. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Thurston County, so you can benchmark 98597 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 →