Whatcom County · Washington
ZIP code 98226
- Population
- 45,739
- Median income
- $79,684
- Median home
- $568,400
- Sales tax
- 6.5%
ZCTA residents
Household, past 12 months
Owner-occupied value
Washington state rate
Quick answer
ZIP 98226 sits in Whatcom County, Washington and is home to 45,739 people. Median household income is $79,684, the median home is worth $568,400 and median gross rent is $1,557. 62.2% of households own their home, and purchases are taxed at 6.5% (Washington state rate).
- County
- Whatcom County
- State
- Washington (WA)
- Area codes
- Not published
- Metro area
- Outside covered metros
FIPS 53073
605 ZIPs covered
No NANPA match for this ZIP
Rate jurisdiction used for tax
The numbers for 98226
American Community Survey 2019-2023 ACS 5-year estimates for this ZCTA.
- Population
- 45,739ZIP 98226 residents
- Median household income
- $79,684Past 12 months, inflation adjusted
- Median home value
- $568,400Owner-occupied units
- Median gross rent
- $1,557Rent plus utilities, monthly
- Median age
- 40.9 yrsAll residents
- Homeownership rate
- 62.2%Owner-occupied households
Sales tax in 98226
What a purchase inside this ZIP costs at checkout.
Washington levies 6.5% statewide, and counties, cities and special districts inside this ZIP can add their own local rate on top. Check the county page for the local component before you quote a price.
Affordability in this ZIP
Derived from the Census medians above — indicative, not an offer.
A rent burden above 30% is the federal threshold for cost-burdened households, and a price-to-income multiple above 4× is generally considered a stretched housing market. The mortgage figure is principal and interest only — taxes, insurance and HOA dues are extra.
How 98226 compares
ZIP 98226 against the median ZIP in Whatcom County and across Washington.
| Measure | ZIP 98226 | County median | State median | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $79,684 | $84,963 | $80,861 | -1% |
| Median home value | $568,400 | $499,450 | $421,200 | +35% |
| Median gross rent | $1,557 | $1,386 | $1,305 | +19% |
| Population | 45,739 | 3,703 | 4,632 | +887% |
Medians are computed across the 16 ZIP areas in Whatcom County and the 605 ZIP areas in Washington.
Statewide rank
Where this ZIP places among all 605 Washington ZIP areas.
- Income
- #291
- Home value
- #138
- Population
- #29
richer than 48% of 556 state ZIPs
above 75% of 548 state ZIPs
larger than 95% of 605 state ZIPs
Comparable ZIP codes
Washington ZIP areas with almost the same household income.
Nearby ZIP codes
Other ZIP codes filed under Whatcom County.
ZIP 98226 questions
Common questions about this ZIP code.
- Where is ZIP code 98226?
- ZIP 98226 lies mostly in Whatcom County, Washington. County assignment follows the largest share of land area, so a ZIP straddling a county line is filed under its dominant county.
- What sales tax do I pay in 98226?
- Washington charges 6.5% statewide, plus any county, city or district rate that applies locally.
- Is 98226 expensive to live in?
- Median rent runs $1,557 a month, about 23% of median household income, and the median home is worth $568,400 — +35% against the typical Washington ZIP.
- Is a ZCTA the same as a postal ZIP code?
- Not exactly. The Census builds ZIP Code Tabulation Areas from the ZIP codes of addresses inside each census block, so a ZCTA can differ slightly from the USPS delivery route of the same number, and PO-box-only ZIPs have no ZCTA at all.
Keep going
Related pages for this area.
Sources & transparency
- US Census Bureau, ACS 2019-2023 5-year estimates — 2019-2023 ACS 5-year — population, income, housing
- Census 2020 ZCTA-to-county relationship file — County assignment by largest land-area overlap
- Washington State Department of Revenue — Sales tax rates and local add-ons
Last reviewed December 2024. Figures are published for reference and can change; verify with the source agency before filing or contracting. How we build and check this data.