ZIP Code 98503: Population, Income, Housing

State: WA

Total population: 41,656 Household income: $89,002 Rent: $1,746

Overview

Total population

41,656

Rent

$1,746

Year built

1986

Household income

$89,002

Per capita income

$42,685

Poverty rate

10.9%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.3 persons

Rent over 30% of income

57.3%

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

Thurston County

City

Lacey

Total population

41,656

Adults over 25

31,118

Total households

17,664

Household size

2.3 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).

Income & Poverty

Household income

$89,002

Per capita income

$42,685

Poverty rate

10.9%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

57.3%

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).

Housing

Rent

$1,746

Year built

1986

Households that rent

41.6%

Households that own

58.4%

Rooms per home (all homes)

5.5

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).

Race

White

67.1%

Black

5.6%

Asian

8.6%

Two or more races

12.6%

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).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

11.3%

Not Hispanic or Latino

88.7%

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).

Commute

Commute rate

16,011 (82.8%)

Commute time to work

25 mins

Work from home

3,323 (17.2%)

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).

Education

Less than high school

30.2%

High school graduate or GED

24.1%

Some college or associate degree

13.6%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

32.1%

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).

Comparison of ZIP Code 98503 with: Thurston County, WA Lacey, WA Olympia metro area, WA Washington State United States

ZIP 98503

Total population41,656

Rent$1,746

Year built1986

Household income$89,002

Per capita income$42,685

Poverty rate10.9%

Unemployment rateN/A

Thurston County, WA

Total population299,067

Rent$1,736

Year built1991

Household income$96,563

Per capita income$46,136

Poverty rate9.5%

Unemployment rate4.6%

Lacey, WA

Total population57,737

Rent$1,870

Year built1996

Household income$90,625

Per capita income$42,173

Poverty rate11.6%

Unemployment rate4.9%

Olympia Metro Area, WA

Total population299,067

Rent$1,736

Year built1991

Household income$96,563

Per capita income$46,136

Poverty rate9.5%

Unemployment rate4.6%

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	ZIP98503	CountyThurston, WA	CityLacey, WA	Metro AreaOlympia metro area, WA	StateWashington	CountryUnited States
Total population	41,656	299,067	57,737	299,067	7,816,116	334,922,499
Rent	$1,746	$1,736	$1,870	$1,736	$1,760	$1,413
Year built	1986	1991	1996	1991	1985	1980
Household income	$89,002	$96,563	$90,625	$96,563	$98,141	$80,734
Per capita income	$42,685	$46,136	$42,173	$46,136	$53,744	$44,673
Poverty rate	10.9%	9.5%	11.6%	9.5%	9.9%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	4.6%	4.9%	4.6%	4.5%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 98503

Rent & Income

In 98503, the typical monthly rent is $1,746 and the typical household income is $89,002. Rent here is lower than Lacey and similar to Washington, and household income is similar to Lacey and lower than Washington. The estimated poverty rate is 10.9%, which is lower than the Lacey rate but higher than the Washington rate.

Housing & Affordability

This ZIP Code is primarily owner-occupied, with renters accounting for about 41.6% of households. About 57.3% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is moderate, with about 32.1% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

ZIP 98503 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 98503 — Poverty

How ZIP 98503 compares in Washington State (102 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$1,746	41 / 102	from lower rent	$1,024 – $2,836
Household income	$89,002	66 / 102	from higher income	$48,231 – $244,362
Poverty rate	10.9%	68 / 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 98503

Rent

Rent-wise, this area comes 41st 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 98503 holds the 66th 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 98503 ranks 68th 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 98503 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,746 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 98503

Annual Household Income: $89,002

💡 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 98503

Estimated Rate: 10.9%

💡 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 98503

In ZIP Code 98503, households that rent: 7,350 (41.6%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	7,350	41.6%
Owner-Occupied	10,314	58.4%

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 98503

In ZIP Code 98503, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 4,208 (57.3%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	4,208	57.3%
Other renter households	3,142	42.7%
Total renter households	7,350	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 98503

Less than High School: 9,391 people (30.2%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 7,503 people (24.1%)

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

Some College or Associate Degree: 4,222 people (13.6%)

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

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 10,002 people (32.1%)

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

👥 Total Adults (25+): 31,118

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.