ZIP Code 98581 — Ryderwood, WA

About ZIP 98581

ZIP code 98581 serves Ryderwood in Cowlitz, Washington. It centers near 46.3752°, -123.0431° and, by population, qualifies as a very small or essentially rural ZIP. Roughly 425 people are estimated to live within its boundaries based on the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2018–2022).

The median household earns about $41,250 per year here. The typical owner-occupied home is valued near $169,200, and asking rents on the open market sit around — per month. Compared to the rest of Washington, that makes 98581 considerably more affordable than the state average. Looking at the entire state, the average ZIP code reports a median income closer to $63,860 and a median home value of $325,820.

The median resident is around 72.2 years old, and roughly 23.1% of the population holds at least a bachelor's degree.

Cost of living read

If you're considering a move into 98581, the most useful exercise is to compare the housing math against your current ZIP. Here, a typical home runs $169,200 and a typical rental runs — a month. Translate that into your own budget:

• At a 7% 30-year mortgage with 20% down, financing the median home here lands monthly principal & interest near $901 — before property tax, insurance, or HOA dues.
• Renting the median unit at —/mo costs roughly — per year, or about 0.0% of the local median household income.
• For movers from substantially cheaper or more expensive metros, the home-value gap ($156,620 versus the state average of $325,820) is often the single biggest line item to plan for.

Who lives here

The age and education profile of a ZIP tells you a lot about what daily life feels like there. With a median age of 72.2 and a population of 425, ZIP 98581 reads as an older-skewing area, often retirement-oriented or in a slower-growth region.

Geography & nearby ZIPs

This ZIP centers at 46.3752, -123.0431. The eight closest neighboring ZIP codes are listed below — useful if you're scoping out the surrounding area, comparing schools, or just want a feel for the broader neighborhood than this one boundary captures.

How to use this profile

Treat ZipLocal Guide as a starting point — never the final word — when you're researching a relocation. The Census ACS data on this page are reliable medians for the ZIP code tabulation area, but they tell you nothing about which side of the freeway you should live on, which streets the local high schoolers actually walk to school, or how the neighborhood has changed since the 2022 estimate window. For those, walk the area, talk to people on the street, and verify your assumptions with a local agent or community group.

If you find this neighborhood interesting, the easiest next step is to view all ZIPs in Ryderwood or browse the rest of Washington.