PlainZIP

Ariel, WA · standard

ZIP Code 98603

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

1,017
3/sq mi
$78,281
Median income
$464,500
Median home value
15.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Ariel pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 40%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 15%
home value, US ZIPs
3
people per sq mi
73%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98603 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 98603 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ariel, Cowlitz County, Washington, home to just 1,017 residents across 299.1 square miles, a density of 3 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.

ZIP 98603 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $78,281 (14% below the Washington average), while per-capita income is $25,673. Poverty here runs at 15.0%, with unemployment measured at 0.0%. The typical home here is valued at $464,500 (9% below the state average); renters pay a median of - monthly, and 72.9% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 15.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.3, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 1 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Cowlitz County, letting you compare 98603 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 98603

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ariel, WA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98603.

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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 98603, Ariel, 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

1,017

Population

299.1

Area (sq mi)

3

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 98603?

41.3

Median Age

41.9%

Male

58.1%

Female

5.7%

Foreign-Born

White 88.5%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.4%
Hispanic or Latino 6.4%

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?

$78,281

Median Household Income

-14% vs state

$25,673

Per Capita Income

15.0%

Poverty Rate

0.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 98603 ranks nationally

Ariel, WA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$78,281 Top 40% higher than 60% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 51.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 15.9%

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

What does housing look like?

615

Total Housing Units

395

Occupied Units

220

Vacant Units

3.21

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 72.9%
Renter 27.1%

$464,500

Median Home Value

-9% vs state

2002

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 20 business establishments in ZIP 98603, employing approximately 169 people with a combined annual payroll of $13,473,000.

20

Businesses

169

Employees

$13.5M

Annual Payroll

3

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Utilities 4 20.0%
Construction 3 15.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 3 15.0%

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 98603 vs 98601 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
98601 Amboy, WA 2,982 6.5 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 Ariel, WA Washington

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 98603 in? ▼
ZIP code 98603 (Ariel) 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 98603? ▼
ZIP code 98603 in Ariel, WA has a population of 1,017 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98603? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 98603 is $78,281, which is 3% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98603? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 98603 is $464,500, which is 67% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98603? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 98603 is White at 88.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98603? ▼
ZIP code 98603 has 20 business establishments employing approximately 169 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98603? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98603 are: Utilities (4), Construction (3), Professional, scientific, and technical services (3). There are 3 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 98603? ▼
In ZIP code 98603, 51.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 15.9% 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 98603? ▼
In ZIP code 98603, approximately 72.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98603? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98603 is 15.0% 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.