98385 ZIP Code — South Prairie, WA

Pierce County, Washington

ZIP code 98385 is located in South Prairie, Washington, within Pierce County. It covers approximately 0.74 square miles and serves a population of 464 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Pacific (PT) timezone, served by area code 253.

About ZIP code 98385

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $410,000. Owner-occupancy is high at 95%, well above the national average.

The gap between median ($118,241) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up. The poverty rate of 3% is below the national average. 41% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is sales and office, with manufacturing as the leading industry. An above-average commute of 40 minutes suggests many residents work outside the immediate area.

College attainment at 13% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 18% of civilians, above the national average of 7%; and disability rates above the national average at 24%.

Overall, ZIP code 98385 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, a strong veteran community, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

464

population

0.74

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Pacific (PT)

timezone

98385 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 98385

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 98385. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
South Prairie	Acceptable

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	464
Population density	627 / sq mi
State FIPS	53
County FIPS	053

Geography
Land area	0.74 sq mi
Water area	0.01 sq mi
Latitude	47.1388
Longitude	-122.0971
Timezone	Pacific (PT)
Area code	253

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 06/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	25.5%	31.0%	31.7%
$50k – $100k	30.6%	33.3%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	41.4%	28.4%	27.1%
Over $200k	2.5%	7.3%	10.6%

Demographics & statistics

464

Population

627

People per sq mi

57.6

Median age

$118,241

Median household income

$69,895

Per capita income

$410,000

Median home value

Median monthly rent

95.4%

Home ownership

3.0%

Poverty rate

3.9%

Unemployment

197

Housing units

13.3%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	77	16.6%
18 and over	387	83.4%
65 and over	105	22.6%
Median age	57.6 years

Race & ethnicity

White 92.8%

Two or more races 3.6%

Asian 2.1%

Hispanic or Latino 1.5%

Group	Count	%
White	437	92.8%
Two or more races	17	3.6%
Asian	10	2.1%
Hispanic or Latino	7	1.5%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	25.5%	31.0%	31.7%
$50k – $100k	30.6%	33.3%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	41.4%	28.4%	27.1%
Over $200k	2.5%	7.3%	10.6%

Under $10k 2.6%

$25k–$35k 5.1%

$35k–$50k 7.7%

$50k–$75k 9.2%

$75k–$100k 14.3%

$100k–$150k 30.1%

$150k–$200k 7.7%

$200k+ 23.5%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	2.6%
$25k–$35k	5.1%
$35k–$50k	7.7%
$50k–$75k	9.2%
$75k–$100k	14.3%
$100k–$150k	30.1%
$150k–$200k	7.7%
$200k+	23.5%
Median income	$118,241

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 13.4%

$150k–$200k 7.0%

$200k–$300k 13.4%

$300k–$500k 28.3%

$500k–$1M 38.0%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$410,000
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	95.4%
Renter occupied	4.6%
Vacant	4.9%
Single-family detached	88.8%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	6.3%
Median rooms	6.5
Avg household size (owned)	2.34

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	1.9%
2000–2009	11.2%
1990–1999	20.4%
1980–1989	23.3%
1970–1979	4.9%
1960–1969	1.9%
1950–1959	2.4%
1940–1949	5.8%
1939 or earlier	28.2%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	8.7%
2 bedrooms	13.6%
3 bedrooms	51.0%
4 bedrooms	15.5%
5+ bedrooms	11.2%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.0%
1 vehicle	16.8%
2 vehicles	39.3%
3 or more	43.9%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	3.6%
Electricity	51.0%
Propane / LP gas	18.9%
Fuel oil	6.6%
Wood	17.9%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	134	68.4%
Cohabiting couple	12	6.1%
Male householder, no spouse	25	12.8%
Female householder, no spouse	25	12.8%
Households with children under 18	37	18.9%
Households with seniors (65+)	101	51.5%
Average household size	2.37

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	20.4%	15.6%
Married	62.6%	73.4%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	0.0%	8.0%
Divorced	17.0%	3.0%

Education

Less than 9th grade 4.1%

Some HS, no diploma 2.5%

HS graduate 40.3%

Some college, no degree 24.3%

Associate's degree 15.5%

Bachelor's degree 11.6%

Graduate / professional 1.7%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	93.4%
Bachelor's or higher	13.3%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	4	5.1%
Elementary school	30	38.5%
High school	23	29.5%
College / grad school	21	26.9%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 21.2%

Finance & real estate 19.7%

Education & healthcare 17.7%

Retail trade 11.6%

Wholesale trade 8.1%

Professional & management 7.1%

Construction 6.1%

Arts, food & hospitality 3.5%

Public administration 3.0%

Other services 2.0%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	25.3%
Service	20.2%
Sales & office	26.8%
Natural resources & construction	6.6%
Production & transportation	21.2%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	84.3%
Government	11.6%
Self-employed	4.0%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	81.6%
Carpool	16.8%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	1.6%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	40.0

Poverty

All people 3.0%

Under 18 years 0.0%

18 and over 3.6%

Married-couple families 3.7%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	40.8%
Retirement income	37.8%
Supplemental Security	3.1%
Cash public assistance	7.7%
Food stamps / SNAP	5.6%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	33.8%
High blood pressure	34.2%
High cholesterol	35.7%
Diabetes	8.6%
Heart disease	5.3%
Stroke	2.6%
Asthma	10.6%
Arthritis	24.9%
Kidney disease	2.5%
Pulmonary disease	6.2%
Cancer	6.5%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	17.0%
Binge drinking	17.9%
No physical activity	19.3%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	32.3%
Depression	26.5%
Fair or poor health	12.6%
Poor mental health	15.8%
Poor physical health	10.6%
No health insurance	9.7%
Visited doctor (checkup)	68.2%
Visited dentist	66.8%
Cholesterol screening	88.0%
Teeth loss	10.6%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	68	17.6%

Disability	%
Any disability	23.9%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	25.9%
65 and over	36.2%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	78.7%
Public insurance	41.6%
No insurance	8.6%
Uninsured under 19	19.5%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	439	94.6%
Spanish	17	3.9%
Other Indo-European	17	3.9%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	436	94.0%
Born in same state	432	93.1%
Born in different state	337	72.6%
Foreign born	4	0.9%
Naturalized citizen	28	6.0%
Not a US citizen	11	39.3%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	75	16.2%
Polish	30	6.5%
French	30	6.5%
Arab	28	6%

Ancestry	Count	%
Dutch	8	1.7%
English	7	1.5%
German	4	0.9%
Irish	3	0.6%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	42.2%
Internet access	98.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 98385

What city is ZIP code 98385 in?

ZIP code 98385 is primarily assigned to South Prairie, Washington.

What county is ZIP code 98385 in?

ZIP code 98385 falls within Pierce County, Washington.

Is ZIP code 98385 mostly owner-occupied?

95% of occupied units in ZIP code 98385 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 98385?

13% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

Does ZIP code 98385 have a large veteran population?

18% of civilians in ZIP code 98385 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

Does ZIP code 98385 have a large retiree population?

41% of households in ZIP code 98385 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What timezone is ZIP code 98385 in?

ZIP code 98385 observes the PST timezone.