Seattle, WA
98121 · Seattle, WA has a HavenScore of 54 — affordability carries it — prices sit within reach of local incomes.
At the ZIP's typical value, the estimated monthly payment takes 28% of the local median income (Zillow, US Census ACS) and runs $736 a month more than the median rent (Zillow ZORI). The buyer/seller gauge leans firmly toward buyers, and has for 7 months. Typical values moved lower over the last 90 days (Zillow ZHVI).
Saved ZIPs on Haven get an email when the score moves 5+ points as monthly data lands, when the market gauge flips between buyers and sellers, when its valuation read moves against the model value, or when distress jumps in a week.
Zillow ZHVI peaked at $719,666 in Aug 2018; the latest value is -24.3% from that peak, 95 months on. Since January 2019 it is -21.0%. The sharpest 12-month move was -10.7%, ending Sep 2019.
Ranked #4,781 of 13,130 nationally · #2,544 of 6,756 mid-size ZIPs
Buyer view active — Leans harder on affordability and downside risk.
Score inputs below recompute for this view
Snapshot
Numbers at a glance, with a year of history under each
Place
What it is like to live here, and what could flood or burn
Bands are each source’s own · tick marks the national median ZIP · not blended into the score
Tract-level rolled up to ZIP · not a property-level rating · no future-year projection · refreshed annually (Dec 2025 release) · county tick = median of 80 scored ZIPs in King County
Everyday prices in the Seattle metro run 11% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024).
Rents in the index run 51% above the US average.
$75,000 at US-average prices buys what $83,350 buys here.
Metro-level index, US = 100 · 2024 · the Seattle metro, not this ZIP alone
What drives the score
Five pillars, each scored 0–100
Market signals
Tailwinds and headwinds right now
- Growing population+3.0% annual growth
- Declining prices-5.4% year-over-year
- Widespread price cuts26% of listings cutting price
Market conditions
Buyer's Market
Buyers hold the leverage. Concessions and below-asking offers are common.
Cycle read. Softening: prices -5.4% over the trailing year, with the market leaning toward buyers.
The Zillow figure is a smoothed index of typical value, not a list price; the Redfin figures are closed sales for the month shown.
Momentum check
What's changed in the last 90 days
Trend
Where it's been
Forecast
Where it's heading
The HavenScore Forecast Model (v1) projects this ZIP’s median value at 3-, 6-, and 12-month horizons, with 80% prediction intervals; Pro adds 24- and 36-month horizons.
Monthly cost
What you'd owe each month
20% down · 30-yr fixed · 6.71% · tax 0.87%
Insurance is assumed at 0.5% of the home's value a year; Treasury's Federal Insurance Office did not publish a premium for this ZIP.
28%of the ZIP’s median income at the median value ($3,436/mo against $148,974 · Zillow, Freddie Mac PMMS, US Census ACS). Your own marker appears once you set an income or price in the calculator below.
Median home value ÷ median household income · Zillow ZHVI, US Census ACS · under 4× has historically been comfortable
Run the numbers
Your price, rate, down payment and income
Like for like: a 3-bedroom here rents for about $4,890 a month (HUD Small Area Fair Market Rent, FY2026) against a typical 3-bedroom value of $1.55M (Zillow ZHVI by bedroom) — a 3.8% gross rent yield.
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Comparable ZIPs
Same shape, lower entry
ZIPs the score groups near 98121 on Affordability and Growth — sorted by lowest median value. Each tile names what the lower price trades: commute (ACS), walkability band (EPA) and hazard rating (FEMA).
- Saves $338k
- Longer commute (+43 min)
- Higher hazard risk
- Saves $338k
- Longer commute (+9 min)
- Less walkable
- Lower hazard risk
- Saves $334k
- Longer commute (+15 min)
- Less walkable
- Higher hazard risk
- Saves $326k
- Similar hazard risk
Sources
Every number, traced
Every metric above is sourced from public datasets, normalized against the national ZIP distribution. Home values and rents refresh monthly; demographics refresh annually.
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