PlainZIP

Vancouver, WA · standard

ZIP Code 98686

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

17,385
584/sq mi
$107,801
Median income
$596,700
Median home value
38.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Vancouver pairs an upper-quartile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 15%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 9%
home value, US ZIPs
584
people per sq mi
77%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98686 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 98686 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Vancouver, Clark County, Washington, home to 17,385 residents across 29.8 square miles, a density of 584 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.

ZIP 98686 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $107,801 (19% above the Washington average), while per-capita income is $51,153. Local economic indicators show a 5.6% poverty rate alongside 4.7% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $596,700 (17% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,926 monthly, and 76.9% of units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 38.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.9, and the average commute is 23 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Clark County, letting you compare 98686 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 98686

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Vancouver, WA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98686.

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 98686, Vancouver, 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

17,385

Population

29.8

Area (sq mi)

584

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 98686?

41.9

Median Age

50.0%

Male

50.0%

Female

9.5%

Foreign-Born

White 74.3%
African American 2.3%
Asian 6.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.5%
Two or More Ethnicities 12.8%
Hispanic or Latino 8.4%

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?

$107,801

Median Household Income

+19% vs state

$51,153

Per Capita Income

5.6%

Poverty Rate

4.7%

Unemployment Rate

23.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 98686 ranks nationally

Vancouver, WA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$107,801 Top 15% higher than 85% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $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 60.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 38.0%

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

What does housing look like?

8,526

Total Housing Units

8,114

Occupied Units

412

Vacant Units

2.59

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 76.9%
Renter 23.1%

$596,700

Median Home Value

+17% vs state

$1,926

Median Rent

1997

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

+1.4%

YoY Change (2024)

298

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+198%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 98686 have increased 1.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +198% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.3% 213
2021 +14.4% 244
2022 +18.1% 288
2023 +2.0% 294
2024 +1.4% 298

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 530 business establishments in ZIP 98686, employing approximately 8,000 people with a combined annual payroll of $572,316,000.

530

Businesses

8,000

Employees

$572.3M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 105 19.8%
Construction 92 17.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 64 12.1%
Retail trade 45 8.5%
Other services (except public administration) 43 8.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 40 7.5%
Accommodation and food services 31 5.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 30 5.7%
Finance and insurance 23 4.3%
Wholesale trade 19 3.6%
Transportation and warehousing 12 2.3%
Information 9 1.7%
Manufacturing 8 1.5%
Educational services 4 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 0.6%

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 98686 vs 98685 →

ZIP 98686 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 98686 ranks #7 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 98686 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 98686 ranks #4 of 9 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
98685 Vancouver, WA 26,217 3.3 mi
98665 Vancouver, WA 24,057 3.5 mi
98662 Vancouver, WA 31,644 3.3 mi
98661 Vancouver, WA 41,740 5.9 mi
98663 Vancouver, WA 14,115 5.2 mi
98660 Vancouver, WA 11,858 5.8 mi
98664 Vancouver, WA 21,771 7.5 mi
97211 Portland, OR 31,254 9.9 mi
98642 Ridgefield, WA 15,696 6.6 mi
97218 Portland, OR 14,561 10.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Clark County

98682 standard
Vancouver, WA
Pop: 52,893
98661 standard
Vancouver, WA
Pop: 41,740
98604 standard
Battle Ground, WA
Pop: 34,232
98662 standard
Vancouver, WA
Pop: 31,644
98683 standard
Vancouver, WA
Pop: 30,832
98607 standard
Camas, WA
Pop: 27,899

Related Areas

Clark County Vancouver, WA Washington

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 98686 in? ▼
ZIP code 98686 (Vancouver) is located in Clark County, Washington. Clark County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/clark-wa.
What is the population of ZIP code 98686? ▼
ZIP code 98686 in Vancouver, WA has a population of 17,385 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98686? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 98686 is $107,801, which is 41% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98686? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 98686 is $596,700, which is 115% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98686? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 98686 is White at 74.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98686? ▼
ZIP code 98686 has 530 business establishments employing approximately 8,000 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98686? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98686 are: Health care and social assistance (105), Construction (92), Professional, scientific, and technical services (64). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98686? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98686 increased by 1.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 198%. 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 98686? ▼
In ZIP code 98686, 60.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 38.0% 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 98686? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98686 is 23.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 98686? ▼
In ZIP code 98686, approximately 76.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 23.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98686? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98686 is 5.6% 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.