Vancouver, WA · standard
ZIP Code 98685
Clark County, Washington — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 26,217
- 1,040/sq mi
- $130,972
- Median income
- $599,200
- Median home value
- 42.2%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Vancouver pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 7%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 9%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,040
- people per sq mi
- 85%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98685 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 98685 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 25.2 square miles in Vancouver, Clark County, Washington. The area is home to 26,217 residents, producing a population density of 1,040 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 98685 against Washington and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 98685 sits at $130,972 (44% above the Washington average), while per-capita income is $62,126. The poverty rate stands at 3.3% and the unemployment rate at 3.8%. On housing, the median home value is $599,200 (17% above the state average) with median rent at $1,664 per month, and 84.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 98685 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 42.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.4, and the average commute is 23 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Clark County, so you can benchmark 98685 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 →
Top industries in ZIP 98685
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98685.
- Construction
Construction
83 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
81 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
77 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
40 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
39 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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 98685, Vancouver, WA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
26,217
Population
25.2
Area (sq mi)
1,040
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 98685?
44.4
Median Age
49.2%
Male
50.8%
Female
8.8%
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?
$130,972
Median Household Income
+44% vs state
$62,126
Per Capita Income
3.3%
Poverty Rate
3.8%
Unemployment Rate
23.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 98685 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$130,972 Top 7% higher than 93% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
11,846
Total Housing Units
11,721
Occupied Units
125
Vacant Units
2.60
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$599,200
Median Home Value
+17% vs state
$1,664
Median Rent
1992
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
+2.5%
YoY Change (2024)
308
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+208%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 98685 have increased 2.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +208% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.4% | 221 |
| 2021 | +14.7% | 253 |
| 2022 | +17.1% | 296 |
| 2023 | +1.4% | 300 |
| 2024 | +2.5% | 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 555 business establishments in ZIP 98685, employing approximately 4,592 people with a combined annual payroll of $243,195,000.
555
Businesses
4,592
Employees
$243.2M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 83 | 14.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 81 | 14.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 77 | 13.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 40 | 7.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 39 | 7.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 36 | 6.5% |
| Retail trade | 32 | 5.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 31 | 5.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 30 | 5.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 30 | 5.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 20 | 3.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 16 | 2.9% |
| Manufacturing | 14 | 2.5% |
| Information | 12 | 2.2% |
| Educational services | 11 | 2.0% |
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 98685 vs 98665 →
ZIP 98685 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98661
Vancouver (98661)
41,740 residents
- 98662
Vancouver (98662)
31,644 residents
- 97217
Portland (97217)
31,438 residents
- 97203
Portland (97203)
31,042 residents
- 98685
Vancouver (98685)
26,217 residents
- 98665
Vancouver (98665)
24,057 residents
- 98686
Vancouver (98686)
17,385 residents
- 98642 15,696
Ridgefield (98642)
15,696 residents
- 98663 14,115
Vancouver (98663)
14,115 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 98685 ranks #5 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 98685 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 97231
Portland (97231)
$137,527 median income
- 98685
Vancouver (98685)
$130,972 median income
- 98642
Ridgefield (98642)
$120,822 median income
- 98686
Vancouver (98686)
$107,801 median income
- 97217
Portland (97217)
$100,361 median income
- 98662
Vancouver (98662)
$94,303 median income
- 98665
Vancouver (98665)
$88,559 median income
- 98663
Vancouver (98663)
$86,018 median income
- 97203
Portland (97203)
$78,660 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 98685 ranks #2 of 9 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98665 | Vancouver, WA | 24,057 | 2.9 mi |
| 98660 | Vancouver, WA | 11,858 | 2.8 mi |
| 98686 | Vancouver, WA | 17,385 | 3.3 mi |
| 98663 | Vancouver, WA | 14,115 | 4.5 mi |
| 98642 | Ridgefield, WA | 15,696 | 6.0 mi |
| 97217 | Portland, OR | 31,438 | 8.1 mi |
| 98662 | Vancouver, WA | 31,644 | 5.7 mi |
| 98661 | Vancouver, WA | 41,740 | 6.2 mi |
| 97203 | Portland, OR | 31,042 | 8.2 mi |
| 97231 | Portland, OR | 4,280 | 7.1 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Clark County
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Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 98685 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 98685? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 98685? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 98685? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98685? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98685? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98685? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98685? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 98685? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 98685? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 98685? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98685? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Vancouver, WA
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.