ZIP 98126 vs ZIP 98118

98126 is one of 86 ZIP codes that lie mostly in King County, WA.

Shaded by typical home value, it ranks 21 of the 35 nearby ZIPs shown.

6 school locations in 98126: 3 elementary, 1 middle, 2 high.

In alphabetical order: Chief Sealth International High School, David T. Denny International Middle School, Fairmount Park Elementary School, Roxhill Elementary School, and more on the ZIP page. Locations only — no ratings are shown here.

98118 is one of 86 ZIP codes that lie mostly in King County, WA.

Shaded by typical home value, it ranks 20 of the 35 nearby ZIPs shown.

13 school locations in 98118: 6 elementary, 3 middle, 4 high.

In alphabetical order: Aki Kurose Middle School, Alan T. Sugiyama High School, Dunlap Elementary School, Emerson Elementary School, and more on the ZIP page. Locations only — no ratings are shown here.

In January 2000 the typical home in 98126 was worth $225,258.

Values peaked at $791,379 in June 2022. The latest reading is −6.6% from that peak.

As of August 2026: $739,421, −1.7% over twelve months.

Start with the typical home: $739,421. Put 20% down and borrow $591,537 at 7.40%, the 30-year fixed average as of October 8, 2026.

That is $4,096 a month in principal and interest.

The median household here earns $114,030 a year, $9,503 a month. So the payment takes 43.1% of income — rated “severe” (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 13.1% 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 $1,349.

In December 2020, with rates at 2.68%, it was $2,123.

By August 2026, at 6.67%, it was $3,804 — +79% since December 2020, while the home's value moved +13%.

Reported values rose +228% 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 $444,570. So the real change is +66%, not +228%.

98126: +228% since January 2000.

King County: +235% since January 2000.

Washington: +236% since January 2000 — 98126 ran behind it by 8 points.

Against 581 Washington ZIP codes, 98126 sits at the 33rd percentile for affordability (price vs local income).

17th for appreciation (recent value growth); 38th for rental yield (rent vs price).

Owning the typical home costs about $4,835 a month once taxes and insurance (estimated at 1.2% of price a year) are added. Renting runs about $2,043 a month.

Price divided by a year's rent: 30.2. Lotvox reads under 15 as favoring buying and 20 or more as favoring renting.

In January 2000 the typical home in 98118 was worth $208,026.

Values peaked at $781,540 in June 2022. The latest reading is −8.1% from that peak.

As of August 2026: $717,985, −2.2% over twelve months.

Start with the typical home: $717,985. Put 20% down and borrow $574,388 at 7.40%, the 30-year fixed average as of October 8, 2026.

That is $3,977 a month in principal and interest.

The median household here earns $109,085 a year, $9,090 a month. So the payment takes 43.7% of income — rated “severe” (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 12.7% 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 $1,246.

In December 2020, with rates at 2.68%, it was $2,068.

By August 2026, at 6.67%, it was $3,694 — +79% since December 2020, while the home's value moved +12%.

Reported values rose +245% 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 $410,561. So the real change is +75%, not +245%.

98118: +245% since January 2000.

King County: +235% since January 2000.

Washington: +236% since January 2000 — 98118 ran ahead of it by 9 points.

Against 581 Washington ZIP codes, 98118 sits at the 31st percentile for affordability (price vs local income).

12th for appreciation (recent value growth); 38th for rental yield (rent vs price).

Owning the typical home costs about $4,695 a month once taxes and insurance (estimated at 1.2% of price a year) are added. Renting runs about $1,976 a month.

Price divided by a year's rent: 30.3. 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 34 a month (Redfin, 3-month rolling data through August 2026). That is 58% of the 2015–2019 level for the same months.

On the shelf — homes for sale at the end of the period: 61.

Going out — closed sales: about 32 a month. That is 63% of the 2015–2019 level for the same months. The drain is drawn 65% narrower: the share of homes for sale that sell each month is 35% of its 2015–2019 level.

The ladder: homes for sale ÷ monthly sales = 1.9 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 1 more homes came on than sold each month, so inventory is growing. The basin is filling.

Homes sold: about 32 a month in August 2026 (Redfin).

The 2015–2019 level for the same month was 44 — so sales ran at 73% 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 53 a month (Redfin, 3-month rolling data through August 2026). That is 83% of the 2015–2019 level for the same months.

On the shelf — homes for sale at the end of the period: 121.

Going out — closed sales: about 41 a month. That is 69% of the 2015–2019 level for the same months. The drain is drawn 52% narrower: the share of homes for sale that sell each month is 48% of its 2015–2019 level.

The ladder: homes for sale ÷ monthly sales = 3.0 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 12 more homes came on than sold each month, so inventory is growing. The basin is filling.

Homes sold: about 41 a month in August 2026 (Redfin).

The 2015–2019 level for the same month was 56 — so sales ran at 73% of it, and below it in 23 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: 61 in June 2026.

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

County assessor records list 226 properties with a market value here. Their average assessed market value is $1,970,150; the typical home value is $739,421.

The assessor average sits +166.4% 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: 121 in June 2026.

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

County assessor records list 534 properties with a market value here. Their average assessed market value is $1,517,050; the typical home value is $717,985.

The assessor average sits +111.3% from the market figure — an average against a typical value, so treat it as a check, not a verdict.