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 High-density area
- $107,801
- Median income Above-median income area
- $596,700
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 38.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 98686 (Vancouver, WA) rose +1.4% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 293.9 in 2023 to 298.0 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Washington ZIP), while per-capita income is $51,153. The poverty rate is 5.6%, with unemployment at 4.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $596,700 (17% above the average Washington ZIP), while 76.9% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,926.
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. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Clark County, so 98686 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
105 establishments
- Construction
Construction
92 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
64 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
45 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
43 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 + 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
Who lives in ZIP 98686?
41.9
Median Age
50.0%
Male
50.0%
Female
9.5%
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?
$107,801
Median Household Income
+19% vs state ZIP avg
$51,153
Per Capita Income
5.6%
Poverty Rate
4.7%
Unemployment Rate
23.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 98686 ranks among Washington ZIPs
Vancouver, WA household income vs. every Washington ZIP code
Median household income among 547 reporting Washington ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$107,801 Top 22% higher than 78% of 547 Washington ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Washington 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
8,526housing units
8,526
Total Housing Units
8,114
Occupied Units
412
Vacant Units
2.59
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$596,700
Median Home Value
+17% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 98661
Vancouver (98661)
41,740 residents
- 98662
Vancouver (98662)
31,644 residents
- 97211
Portland (97211)
31,254 residents
- 98685
Vancouver (98685)
26,217 residents
- 98665
Vancouver (98665)
24,057 residents
- 98664
Vancouver (98664)
21,771 residents
- 98686
Vancouver (98686)
17,385 residents
- 98642 15,696
Ridgefield (98642)
15,696 residents
- 97218 14,561
Portland (97218)
14,561 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 98686 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 98686 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98685
Vancouver (98685)
$130,972 median income
- 98642
Ridgefield (98642)
$120,822 median income
- 97211
Portland (97211)
$112,586 median income
- 98686
Vancouver (98686)
$107,801 median income
- 98662
Vancouver (98662)
$94,303 median income
- 97218
Portland (97218)
$88,924 median income
- 98665
Vancouver (98665)
$88,559 median income
- 98663
Vancouver (98663)
$86,018 median income
- 98664
Vancouver (98664)
$85,369 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 98686, both outside WA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (17,385 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Clark County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 98686's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 98686 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Vancouver, WA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.