PlainZIP

Ellensburg, WA · standard

ZIP Code 98926

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

30,239
20/sq mi
$71,137
Median income
$470,300
Median home value
39.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Ellensburg pairs a below-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

48th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 15%
home value, US ZIPs
20
people per sq mi
53%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98926 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 98926 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ellensburg, Kittitas County, Washington, with 30,239 residents across 1497.0 square miles, a density of 20 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.

ZIP 98926 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $71,137 (22% below the Washington average), while per-capita income is $38,594. Local economic indicators show a 16.9% poverty rate alongside 7.2% unemployment. Median home value sits at $470,300 (8% below the state average), median rent at $1,338 a month, and owner-occupancy at 52.5%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 39.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 30.2, and the average commute is 20 minutes. To put 98926 in local context, 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Kittitas County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 98926

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ellensburg, WA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98926.

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 98926, Ellensburg, 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

30,239

Population

1497.0

Area (sq mi)

20

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 98926?

30.2

Median Age

49.6%

Male

50.4%

Female

5.4%

Foreign-Born

White 81.3%
African American 1.4%
Asian 2.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.5%
Hispanic or Latino 11.1%

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?

$71,137

Median Household Income

-22% vs state

$38,594

Per Capita Income

16.9%

Poverty Rate

7.2%

Unemployment Rate

19.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 98926 ranks nationally

Ellensburg, WA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$71,137 48th percentile higher than 48% 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 61.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 39.8%

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

What does housing look like?

15,207

Total Housing Units

14,161

Occupied Units

1,046

Vacant Units

2.32

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 52.5%
Renter 47.5%

$470,300

Median Home Value

-8% vs state

$1,338

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

+2.6%

YoY Change (2024)

293

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+193%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 98926 have increased 2.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +193% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.9% 206
2021 +15.8% 238
2022 +19.2% 284
2023 +0.5% 285
2024 +2.6% 293

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 910 business establishments in ZIP 98926, employing approximately 8,411 people with a combined annual payroll of $413,332,000.

910

Businesses

8,411

Employees

$413.3M

Annual Payroll

18

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 142 15.6%
Retail trade 120 13.2%
Accommodation and food services 102 11.2%
Other services (except public administration) 85 9.3%
Health care and social assistance 84 9.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 66 7.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 54 5.9%
Finance and insurance 47 5.2%
Transportation and warehousing 46 5.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 45 5.0%
Wholesale trade 36 4.0%
Manufacturing 23 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 17 1.9%
Educational services 12 1.3%
Information 10 1.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 8 0.9%
Utilities 7 0.8%
Industries not classified 3 0.3%

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 98926 vs 98934 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
98934 Kittitas, WA 1,117 3.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Kittitas County

98922 standard
Cle Elum, WA
Pop: 5,468
98934 standard
Kittitas, WA
Pop: 1,117
98941 standard
Roslyn, WA
Pop: 919
98940 standard
Ronald, WA
Pop: 760
98925 standard
Easton, WA
Pop: 689
98943 standard
South Cle Elum, WA
Pop: 660

Related Areas

Kittitas County Ellensburg, WA Washington

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 98926 in? ▼
ZIP code 98926 (Ellensburg) is located in Kittitas County, Washington. Kittitas County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/kittitas-wa.
What is the population of ZIP code 98926? ▼
ZIP code 98926 in Ellensburg, WA has a population of 30,239 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98926? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 98926 is $71,137, which is 7% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98926? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 98926 is $470,300, which is 69% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98926? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 98926 is White at 81.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 11.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98926? ▼
ZIP code 98926 has 910 business establishments employing approximately 8,411 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98926? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98926 are: Construction (142), Retail trade (120), Accommodation and food services (102). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98926? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98926 increased by 2.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 193%. 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 98926? ▼
In ZIP code 98926, 61.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 39.8% 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 98926? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98926 is 19.7 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 98926? ▼
In ZIP code 98926, approximately 52.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 47.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98926? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98926 is 16.9% 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.