ZIP Code 98394 — Key Center CDP, WA Demographics & Data

ZIP code 98394 covers Key Center, WA in Pierce County with a population of about 1,036.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 44.3 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area code 253; U.S. House district WA-6; the SEATTLE - TACOMA media market.

Median household income in ZIP 98394 is about $46,792 — about 38% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 19.7%; unemployment rate near 6.7%; 28.1% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 5.7 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Healthcare, Construction, and Public administration; about 2.2% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 13.0 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $471,500 — about 35% above the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $634 (about 45% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 83.2% (about 17.8 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 98394 in Key Center, WA, a household would need roughly $130,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $3,029. That is about 178% above the local median household income ($46,792), so the median earner would likely stretch or need a larger down payment. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Key Center CDP, WA as Relatively High (composite score 98.5), which is among the highest nationally. The strongest component scores on US5 are flood (96.2) and wildfire (76.8). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Key Center CDP, WA show little to no average snow and around 42.0 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 56 for ZIP 98394 (Key Center CDP, WA) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.