ZIP Code 98837: Population, Income, Housing

State: WA

Total population: 49,455 Household income: $74,586 Rent: $1,158

Overview

Total population

49,455

Rent

$1,158

Year built

1989

Household income

$74,586

Per capita income

$35,597

Poverty rate

14.6%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.7 persons

Rent over 30% of income

42.8%

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.

Demographics

State

Washington

County

Grant County

City

Moses Lake

Total population

49,455

Adults over 25

31,441

Total households

18,264

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).

Income & Poverty

Household income

$74,586

Per capita income

$35,597

Poverty rate

14.6%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

42.8%

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).

Housing

Rent

$1,158

Year built

1989

Households that rent

33.4%

Households that own

66.6%

Rooms per home (all homes)

5.6

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).

Race

White

64.6%

Black

Asian

1.6%

Two or more races

17%

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

33%

Not Hispanic or Latino

67%

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

19,576 (88.8%)

Commute time to work

20 mins

Work from home

2,481 (11.2%)

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

36%

High school graduate or GED

28.7%

Some college or associate degree

14.9%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

20.5%

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).

Comparison of ZIP Code 98837 with: Grant County, WA Washington State United States

ZIP 98837

Total population49,455

Rent$1,158

Year built1989

Household income$74,586

Per capita income$35,597

Poverty rate14.6%

Unemployment rateN/A

Grant County, WA

Total population101,799

Rent$1,116

Year built1988

Household income$73,267

Per capita income$33,242

Poverty rate15.8%

Unemployment rate7.2%

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	ZIP98837	CountyGrant, WA	StateWashington	CountryUnited States
Total population	49,455	101,799	7,816,116	334,922,499
Rent	$1,158	$1,116	$1,760	$1,413
Year built	1989	1988	1985	1980
Household income	$74,586	$73,267	$98,141	$80,734
Per capita income	$35,597	$33,242	$53,744	$44,673
Poverty rate	14.6%	15.8%	9.9%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	7.2%	4.5%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 98837

Rent & Income

In 98837, the typical monthly rent is $1,158 and the typical household income is $74,586. Rent here is lower than Washington, and household income is lower than Washington. The estimated poverty rate is 14.6%.

Housing & Affordability

This ZIP Code is primarily owner-occupied, with renters accounting for about 33.4% of households. About 42.8% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is moderate, with about 20.5% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

ZIP 98837 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 98837 — Poverty

How ZIP 98837 compares in Washington State (102 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$1,158	4 / 102	from lower rent	$1,024 – $2,836
Household income	$74,586	87 / 102	from higher income	$48,231 – $244,362
Poverty rate	14.6%	84 / 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 98837

Rent

Looking at rent levels, ZIP Code 98837 places 4th out of 102 ZIP Codes in Washington State. Throughout Washington State, numbers span from $1,024 in ZIP 98901 up to $2,836 in ZIP 98006.

Household income

In terms of earnings, this ZIP comes 87th out of 102 ZIP Codes. At the state level, values extend from $48,231 in ZIP 99163 up to $244,362 in ZIP 98074.

Poverty rate

In terms of poverty rate, ZIP Code 98837 comes 84th out of 102 ZIP Codes. In Washington State as a whole, the range goes from 3.3% in ZIP 98685 up to 28.6% in ZIP 99163.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 98837 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,158 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 98837

Annual Household Income: $74,586

💡 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 98837

Estimated Rate: 14.6%

💡 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 98837

In ZIP Code 98837, households that rent: 6,107 (33.4%)

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

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	6,107	33.4%
Owner-Occupied	12,157	66.6%

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 98837

In ZIP Code 98837, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 2,615 (42.8%)

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

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	2,615	42.8%
Other renter households	3,492	57.2%
Total renter households	6,107	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 98837

Less than High School: 11,305 people (36%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 9,008 people (28.7%)

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

Some College or Associate Degree: 4,685 people (14.9%)

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

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 6,443 people (20.5%)

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

👥 Total Adults (25+): 31,441

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.