ZIP Code 98198: Population, Income, Housing

State: WA
Total population: 40,463 Household income: $86,239 Rent: $1,814

Overview

Total population
40,463
Rent
$1,814
Year built
1976
Household income
$86,239
Per capita income
$41,819
Poverty rate
12.9%
Unemployment rate
N/A
Household size
2.7 persons
Rent over 30% of income
68.3%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Demographics

State
Washington
County
King County
City
Des Moines
Total population
40,463
Adults over 25
28,417
Total households
14,588
Household size
2.7 persons

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Income & Poverty

Household income
$86,239
Per capita income
$41,819
Poverty rate
12.9%
Unemployment rate
N/A
Rent over 30% of income
68.3%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Housing

Rent
$1,814
Year built
1976
Households that rent
45.2%
Households that own
54.8%
Rooms per home (all homes)
4.9

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Race

White
41.9%
Black
14.4%
Asian
13.7%
Two or more races
13.2%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino
22.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino
77.5%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Commute

Commute rate
15,669 (85.4%)
Commute time to work
30 mins
Work from home
2,676 (14.6%)

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Education

Less than high school
30.5%
High school graduate or GED
26.3%
Some college or associate degree
12.4%
Bachelor’s degree or higher
30.8%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

 

Comparison of ZIP Code 98198 with: King County, WA Seattle metro area, WA Washington State United States

ZIP 98198

Total population40,463
Rent$1,814
Year built1976
Household income$86,239
Per capita income$41,819
Poverty rate12.9%
Unemployment rateN/A

King County, WA

Total population2,287,171
Rent$2,092
Year built1983
Household income$124,746
Per capita income$74,100
Poverty rate8.6%
Unemployment rate3.4%

Seattle Metro Area, WA

Total population4,061,920
Rent$2,000
Year built1985
Household income$115,177
Per capita income$63,994
Poverty rate8.5%
Unemployment rate4.2%

Washington State

Total population7,816,116
Rent$1,760
Year built1985
Household income$98,141
Per capita income$53,744
Poverty rate9.9%
Unemployment rate4.5%

United States

Total population334,922,499
Rent$1,413
Year built1980
Household income$80,734
Per capita income$44,673
Poverty rate12.5%
Unemployment rate4%
Metric ZIP98198 CountyKing, WAMetro AreaSeattle metro area, WAStateWashingtonCountryUnited States
Total population40,4632,287,1714,061,9207,816,116334,922,499
Rent$1,814$2,092$2,000$1,760$1,413
Year built19761983198519851980
Household income$86,239$124,746$115,177$98,141$80,734
Per capita income$41,819$74,100$63,994$53,744$44,673
Poverty rate12.9%8.6%8.5%9.9%12.5%
Unemployment rateN/A3.4%4.2%4.5%4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

 

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Summary for 98198

Rent & Income

In 98198, the typical monthly rent is $1,814 and the typical household income is $86,239. Rent here is similar to Washington, and household income is lower than Washington. The estimated poverty rate is 12.9%.

Housing & Affordability

Renters make up about 45.2% of households, indicating a relatively balanced mix of renters and owners. About 68.3% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is moderate, with about 30.8% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

 

ZIP 98198 — Rent vs Household Income

 

 

ZIP 98198 — Poverty

 

 

How ZIP 98198 compares in Washington State (102 ZIP Codes)

Metric This ZIP Rank Starts from State range
Rent $1,814 48 / 102 from lower rent $1,024 – $2,836
Household income $86,239 73 / 102 from higher income $48,231 – $244,362
Poverty rate 12.9% 79 / 102 from lower poverty 3.3% – 28.6%

Rankings are calculated among ZIP Codes in Washington State with total population > 30,000 (year 2024).

 

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 98198

Rent

Rent-wise, this area comes 48th out of 102 ZIP Codes in Washington State. At the state level, values extend from $1,024 in ZIP 98901 up to $2,836 in ZIP 98006.

Household income

Looking at income levels, ZIP Code 98198 holds the 73rd out of 102 ZIP Codes. In Washington State as a whole, the range goes from $48,231 in ZIP 99163 up to $244,362 in ZIP 98074.

Poverty rate

Regarding poverty rate, ZIP Code 98198 ranks 79th out of 102 ZIP Codes. Statewide, values range from 3.3% in ZIP 98685 up to 28.6% in ZIP 99163.

 

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 98198 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,814 ℹ️ What’s Included:
✅ Base rent, electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuels
❌ Not included: internet, cable TV, renter's insurance, parking

💡 What does this rent estimate mean?

Explanation: This estimate shows what renters typically pay each month for housing — including the apartment or home and essential utilities like heat, water, and electricity.

Included in this number: Rent plus electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuel.

Not included: Internet, cable, parking, renter’s insurance, or furniture rental.

Note: This cost does not depend on the number of people living in the home.

👨‍👧‍👦 Household Income in ZIP Code 98198

Annual Household Income: $86,239

💡 What does Household Income mean?

Definition: This represents the middle value of all household incomes in the ZIP code — half of households earn less, and half earn more.

Includes: wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security, pensions, investments, unemployment, public assistance, and rental income.

Does NOT include: capital gains, non-cash benefits (like food stamps), or tax refunds.

Household = any group of people (or a single person) living in the same housing unit.

Example: A couple earning $40,000 and $30,000 together have a household income of $70,000. If that's in the middle of all local incomes, it's the value shown here.

📉 Poverty Rate in ZIP Code 98198

Estimated Rate: 12.9%

💡 What does the Poverty Rate represent?

Definition: The percentage of people in this area living below the federal poverty threshold.

How it works: The threshold is a dollar amount set by the U.S. Census Bureau that varies by family size and age. If a household's income is below that level, everyone in it is included in this rate.

Example: In a town of 10,000 people, if 1,500 have incomes below the poverty line, the poverty rate is 15%.

Note: This statistic only includes people living in households; it does not count those in student housing, military barracks, or nursing homes.

🏘️ Renter vs. Owner Households in ZIP Code 98198

In ZIP Code 98198, households that rent: 6,599 (45.2%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?
Household Type Count Share
Renter-Occupied 6,599 45.2%
Owner-Occupied 7,989 54.8%

Definition: This is the percentage of households that rent their home rather than own it. It includes only occupied housing units.

Why it matters: Areas with a high share of renter households often have younger populations, higher mobility, and different housing needs compared to mostly owner-occupied areas.

Example: If 65% of homes in an area are renter-occupied, it means 65 out of every 100 households rent their home.

📉 Renters Spending Over 30% of Income on Rent in ZIP Code 98198

In ZIP Code 98198, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 4,505 (68.3%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?
Household Group Households Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%) 4,505 68.3%
Other renter households 2,094 31.7%
Total renter households 6,599 100%

Shares are calculated as a percentage of renter households.

This shows how many renters in the ZIP code are considered cost-burdened — meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing (rent and basic utilities).

It’s a sign that housing might be unaffordable in the area or that lower-income residents may be struggling with rent.

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

📊 Education Levels in ZIP Code 98198

Less than High School: 8,665 people (30.5%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 7,476 people (26.3%)

Includes adults whose highest education is a high school diploma or GED.

Some College or Associate Degree: 3,528 people (12.4%)

Includes adults who attended college without completing a bachelor’s degree (some college or associate degree).

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 8,748 people (30.8%)

Includes adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree).

👥 Total Adults (25+): 28,417

ℹ️ Have questions about how these statistics are calculated? See our data methodology & FAQs

 

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau) — unemployment rate from BLS. Some values are derived metrics.