98421 ZIP Code — Tacoma, WA

Pierce County, Washington

ZIP code 98421 is located in Tacoma, Washington, within Pierce County. It covers approximately 6.50 square miles and serves a population of 790 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Pacific (PT) timezone, served by area code 253.

About ZIP code 98421

The housing stock consists of a significant share of large multi-unit buildings. Much of the housing stock is relatively new, reflecting recent development activity. Renters make up the majority at 89%, typical of denser urban areas.

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

College attainment at 3% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (21%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include Spanish spoken in 32% of households.

Overall, ZIP code 98421 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

790

population

6.50

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Pacific (PT)

timezone

98421 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 98421

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 98421. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Tacoma	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

98413 Tacoma (2 mi) 98422 Tacoma (2.1 mi) 98431 Tacoma (2.2 mi) 98493 Tacoma (2.2 mi) 98481 Tacoma (2.2 mi) 98471 Tacoma (2.2 mi) 98424 Fife (2.3 mi) 98403 Tacoma (2.9 mi) 98402 Tacoma (3.2 mi) 98023 Federal Way (3.2 mi) 98418 Tacoma (3.4 mi) 98404 Tacoma (3.4 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	790
Population density	122 / sq mi
State FIPS	53
County FIPS	053

Geography
Land area	6.50 sq mi
Water area	1.35 sq mi
Latitude	47.2594
Longitude	-122.3969
Timezone	Pacific (PT)
Area code	253

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Demographics & statistics

790

Population

122

People per sq mi

39.3

Median age

Median household income

$14,227

Per capita income

Median home value

Median monthly rent

10.9%

Home ownership

65.6%

Poverty rate

0.0%

Unemployment

Housing units

2.9%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

15–19

20–24

106

25–34

302

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	0	0.0%
18 and over	790	100.0%
65 and over	0	0.0%
Median age	39.3 years

Race & ethnicity

White 59.4%

Asian 24.3%

Black or African American 14.8%

Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%

Group	Count	%
White	469	59.4%
Asian	192	24.3%
Black or African American	117	14.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	8	1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	4	0.5%

Household income

Under $10k 16.4%

$15k–$25k 45.5%

$75k–$100k 38.2%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	16.4%
$15k–$25k	45.5%
$75k–$100k	38.2%
Median income	$0

Housing

Home values

$50k–$100k 100.0%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$0
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	10.9%
Renter occupied	89.1%
Vacant	0.0%
Single-family detached	0.0%
Large apartment buildings	61.8%
Mobile homes	0.0%
Median rooms	0.0
Avg household size (owned)	0.00

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	61.8%
2000–2009	10.9%
1990–1999	0.0%
1980–1989	0.0%
1970–1979	0.0%
1960–1969	0.0%
1950–1959	0.0%
1940–1949	0.0%
1939 or earlier	27.3%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	100.0%
1 bedroom	0.0%
2 bedrooms	0.0%
3 bedrooms	0.0%
4 bedrooms	0.0%
5+ bedrooms	0.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	16.4%
1 vehicle	83.6%
2 vehicles	0.0%
3 or more	0.0%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	27.3%
Electricity	72.7%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	0	0.0%
Cohabiting couple	0	0.0%
Male householder, no spouse	55	100.0%
Female householder, no spouse	0	0.0%
Households with children under 18	0	0.0%
Households with seniors (65+)	0	0.0%
Average household size	0.00

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	86.6%	0.0%
Married	0.6%	9.9%
Separated	1.3%	11.1%
Widowed	0.0%	0.0%
Divorced	11.6%	79.0%

Education

Less than 9th grade 18.1%

Some HS, no diploma 9.3%

HS graduate 32.8%

Some college, no degree 17.6%

Associate's degree 19.3%

Bachelor's degree 2.9%

Graduate / professional 0.0%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	72.6%
Bachelor's or higher	2.9%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	0	0.0%
High school	73	74.5%
College / grad school	25	25.5%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 45.5%

Public administration 27.3%

Arts, food & hospitality 16.4%

Retail trade 10.9%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	56.4%
Service	16.4%
Sales & office	27.3%
Natural resources & construction	0.0%
Production & transportation	0.0%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	72.7%
Government	27.3%
Self-employed	0.0%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	83.6%
Carpool	0.0%
Public transit	16.4%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	0.0%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	40.4

Poverty

All people 65.6%

Under 18 years 0.0%

18 and over 65.6%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	10.9%
Retirement income	10.9%
Supplemental Security	0.0%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	45.5%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	38.5%
High blood pressure	25.0%
High cholesterol	22.5%
Diabetes	6.5%
Heart disease	3.0%
Stroke	1.7%
Asthma	9.5%
Arthritis	11.1%
Kidney disease	1.8%
Pulmonary disease	4.0%
Cancer	1.8%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	21.0%
Binge drinking	21.9%
No physical activity	25.6%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	35.8%
Depression	22.7%
Fair or poor health	18.1%
Poor mental health	17.4%
Poor physical health	10.4%
No health insurance	25.8%
Visited doctor (checkup)	57.8%
Visited dentist	45.3%
Cholesterol screening	71.2%
Teeth loss	21.8%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	15	1.9%

Disability	%
Any disability	0.9%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	0.9%
65 and over	0.0%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	3.5%
Public insurance	88.6%
No insurance	10.1%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	790	100.0%
Spanish	256	32.4%
Other Indo-European	256	32.4%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	154	19.5%
Born in same state	145	18.4%
Born in different state	104	13.2%
Foreign born	9	1.1%
Naturalized citizen	636	80.5%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	15	1.9%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	7.0%
Internet access	100.0%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 98421

What city is ZIP code 98421 in?

ZIP code 98421 is primarily assigned to Tacoma, Washington.

What county is ZIP code 98421 in?

ZIP code 98421 falls within Pierce County, Washington.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98421?

66% of residents in ZIP code 98421 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Is ZIP code 98421 mostly rentals?

89% of occupied units in ZIP code 98421 are renter-occupied.

Is Spanish widely spoken in ZIP code 98421?

Approximately 32% of households in ZIP code 98421 speak Spanish as a primary language.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 98421?

3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

What timezone is ZIP code 98421 in?

ZIP code 98421 observes the PST timezone.