ZIP 98038 vs ZIP 98010

98038 is one of 86 ZIP codes that lie mostly in King County, WA.

Shaded by typical home value, it ranks 22 of the 38 nearby ZIPs shown.

8 school locations in 98038: 6 elementary, 2 high.

In alphabetical order: Cedar River Elementary, Glacier Park Elementary, Lake Wilderness Elementary, Rock Creek Elementary, and more on the ZIP page. Locations only — no ratings are shown here.

98010 is one of 86 ZIP codes that lie mostly in King County, WA.

Shaded by typical home value, it ranks 18 of the 38 nearby ZIPs shown.

2 school locations in 98010: 1 elementary, 1 middle.

In alphabetical order: Black Diamond Elementary, Sawyer Woods Elementary School. Locations only — no ratings are shown here.

In January 2000 the typical home in 98038 was worth $240,467.

Values peaked at $835,791 in June 2022. The latest reading is −7.7% from that peak.

As of August 2026: $771,444, −2.3% over twelve months.

Start with the typical home: $771,444. Put 20% down and borrow $617,155 at 7.40%, the 30-year fixed average as of October 8, 2026.

That is $4,273 a month in principal and interest.

The median household here earns $144,733 a year, $12,061 a month. So the payment takes 35.4% of income — rated “stretched” (Lotvox ZIP bands: under 28% affordable · 28–36% stretched · 36%+ severe).

The line holds today's rate fixed and moves only the price: at that rate, the same share was 11.0% in 2000.

Take the typical home's price each month, borrow 80% at that month's actual 30-year average rate: in January 2000 (8.21%) the payment was $1,440.

In December 2020, with rates at 2.68%, it was $1,845.

By August 2026, at 6.67%, it was $3,969 — +115% since December 2020, while the home's value moved +35%.

Reported values rose +221% since January 2000.

General prices (CPI-U) rose +97% over the same span.

Divide one by the other: in August 2026 dollars, the 2000 home was worth $474,586. So the real change is +63%, not +221%.

98038: +221% since January 2000.

King County: +235% since January 2000.

Washington: +236% since January 2000 — 98038 ran behind it by 15 points.

Against 581 Washington ZIP codes, 98038 sits at the 65th percentile for affordability (price vs local income).

12th for appreciation (recent value growth); 81st for rental yield (rent vs price).

Owning the typical home costs about $5,045 a month once taxes and insurance (estimated at 1.2% of price a year) are added. Renting runs about $3,044 a month.

Price divided by a year's rent: 21.1. Lotvox reads under 15 as favoring buying and 20 or more as favoring renting.

In January 2000 the typical home in 98010 was worth $230,536.

Values peaked at $798,341 in February 2025. The latest reading is −4.9% from that peak.

As of August 2026: $759,096, −3.1% over twelve months.

Start with the typical home: $759,096. Put 20% down and borrow $607,277 at 7.40%, the 30-year fixed average as of October 8, 2026.

That is $4,205 a month in principal and interest.

The median household here earns $148,692 a year, $12,391 a month. So the payment takes 33.9% of income — rated “stretched” (Lotvox ZIP bands: under 28% affordable · 28–36% stretched · 36%+ severe).

The line holds today's rate fixed and moves only the price: at that rate, the same share was 10.3% in 2000.

Take the typical home's price each month, borrow 80% at that month's actual 30-year average rate: in January 2000 (8.21%) the payment was $1,380.

In December 2020, with rates at 2.68%, it was $1,855.

By August 2026, at 6.67%, it was $3,905 — +111% since December 2020, while the home's value moved +32%.

Reported values rose +229% since January 2000.

General prices (CPI-U) rose +97% over the same span.

Divide one by the other: in August 2026 dollars, the 2000 home was worth $454,987. So the real change is +67%, not +229%.

98010: +229% since January 2000.

King County: +235% since January 2000.

Washington: +236% since January 2000 — 98010 ran behind it by 7 points.

Against 581 Washington ZIP codes, 98010 sits at the 72nd percentile for affordability (price vs local income).

6th for appreciation (recent value growth); 77th for rental yield (rent vs price).

Owning the typical home costs about $4,964 a month once taxes and insurance (estimated at 1.2% of price a year) are added. Renting runs about $2,768 a month.

Price divided by a year's rent: 22.9. Lotvox reads under 15 as favoring buying and 20 or more as favoring renting.

Picture the Listings Flow Ladder as a basin: new listings pour in from the faucet, the homes for sale are the water, and closed sales run out the drain. Coming in — new listings: about 52 a month (Redfin, 3-month rolling data through August 2026). That is 57% of the 2015–2019 level for the same months.

On the shelf — homes for sale at the end of the period: 119.

Going out — closed sales: about 44 a month. That is 54% of the 2015–2019 level for the same months. The drain is drawn 49% narrower: the share of homes for sale that sell each month is 51% of its 2015–2019 level.

The ladder: homes for sale ÷ monthly sales = 2.7 months of supply — below the 4–6 month range Lotvox treats as balanced. In the basin, that is the water level against the shaded balanced band.

The net reading: about 8 more homes came on than sold each month, so inventory is growing. The basin is filling.

Homes sold: about 44 a month in August 2026 (Redfin).

The 2015–2019 level for the same month was 71 — so sales ran at 62% of it, and below it in 24 of the last 24 months.

Across King County, builders pulled permits for 8,505 new homes in 2025.

Of those, 30% were in 1-unit buildings (the Census Bureau's category for detached and attached single homes).

Picture the Listings Flow Ladder as a basin: new listings pour in from the faucet, the homes for sale are the water, and closed sales run out the drain. Coming in — new listings: about 33 a month (Redfin, 3-month rolling data through August 2026).

On the shelf — homes for sale at the end of the period: 82.

Going out — closed sales: about 23 a month. The drain is drawn 19% narrower: the share of homes for sale that sell each month is 81% of its 2015–2019 level.

The ladder: homes for sale ÷ monthly sales = 3.5 months of supply — below the 4–6 month range Lotvox treats as balanced. In the basin, that is the water level against the shaded balanced band.

The net reading: about 10 more homes came on than sold each month, so inventory is growing. The basin is filling.

Homes sold: about 23 a month in August 2026 (Redfin).

The 2015–2019 level for the same month was 11 — so sales ran at 209% of it, and below it in 0 of the last 24 months.

Across King County, builders pulled permits for 8,505 new homes in 2025.

Of those, 30% were in 1-unit buildings (the Census Bureau's category for detached and attached single homes).

This ZIP sits in King County. IRS tax returns for 2022-2023: among the ten counties sending the most households, 23,473 moved in. Among the ten receiving the most, 29,819 moved out.

Net across those counties: −6,346 households. Beside it, homes for sale in this ZIP: 119 in June 2026.

Most arrivals came from Snohomish, WA (7,334 households); most departures went to Snohomish, WA (10,534).

County assessor records list 107 properties with a market value here. Their average assessed market value is $1,671,100; the typical home value is $771,444.

The assessor average sits +116.6% from the market figure — an average against a typical value, so treat it as a check, not a verdict.

This ZIP sits in King County. IRS tax returns for 2022-2023: among the ten counties sending the most households, 23,473 moved in. Among the ten receiving the most, 29,819 moved out.

Net across those counties: −6,346 households. Beside it, homes for sale in this ZIP: 82 in June 2026.

Most arrivals came from Snohomish, WA (7,334 households); most departures went to Snohomish, WA (10,534).

County assessor records list 54 properties with a market value here. Their average assessed market value is $599,250; the typical home value is $759,096.

The assessor average sits −21.1% from the market figure — an average against a typical value, so treat it as a check, not a verdict.