ZIP Code · WA

ZIP 98043

Part of Mountlake Terrace, WA

Pop. 23,101·Snohomish County·85th most expensive ZIP in Washington

Median rent (all units)

$2,112/mo

Year-over-Year

+0.8%

Month-over-Month

-0.2%

vs US Median

+$180

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 98043 · $2,112

More expensive than 67% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,990

1 BR

$2,060

2 BR

$2,400

3 BR

$3,140

4 BR+

$3,690

Research median

$2,400/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

December. Asking rents in ZIP 98043 usually run 1.1% below trend in December and 0.7% above it in August, about $38 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 98043 is 0.9% below its high of $2,131 in November 2025, at $2,112 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of Washington

Rent in ZIP 98043 changed +0.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 193 Washington ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.5%.

Recent direction

Rent has fallen 3 months in a row, and rose in 5 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($107,687) is $2,692 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($2,400); a 3-bedroom is $3,140.

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 98204, 8 miles away, rents for 13% less ($1,840/mo), about $3,300 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 98043. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$25,344/yr

At $2,112/mo median

Location

CityMountlake Terrace

StateWA

CountySnohomish County

Rent Market Meter

Balanced Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are roughly steady, with neither renters nor landlords holding a strong edge right now.

Based on rent-price momentum (+0.8% YoY, -0.2% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 98043 (Mountlake Terrace, WA) is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 42.9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

23,101

Median income

$107,687

Median age

38.3

Renters

43.2%

Age distribution

17%

26.1%

27.8%

12.6%

16.5%

Under 1817%

18–3426.1%

35–5427.8%

55–6412.6%

65+16.5%

Gender

49.5%

50.5%

Male49.5%

Female50.5%

Race & ethnicity

61.4%

15.3%

White61.4%

Black4.2%

Hispanic15.3%

Asian11.7%

Other7.5%

Education (25+)

21.5%

29.8%

42.9%

No HS diploma5.7%

HS diploma21.5%

Some college29.8%

Bachelor's+42.9%

Housing tenure

56.8%

43.2%

Owner56.8%

Renter43.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 98043 in Mountlake Terrace, WA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,666 → $2,112

up 26.8%

Income

$87,920 → $107,687

up 22.5%

Population

21,265 → 23,101

up 8.6%

Renter share

43.7% → 43.2%

-0.5 pts

Bachelor's+

38.5% → 42.9%

+4.4 pts

Median age

37.7 → 38.3

+0.6 yrs

Compared with 2021, rent in ZIP 98043 in Mountlake Terrace, WA has increased by $446 per month, settling near $2,112 after starting the period at $1,666. Household income in the area moved from $87,920 to $107,687 across the same window, up 22.5% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 4.3 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 21,265 to 23,101 between 2021 and 2024, a 8.6% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 38.5% to 42.9%. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in ZIP 98043 in Mountlake Terrace, WA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.

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About renting in ZIP 98043

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 98043 covers Mountlake Terrace, WA. The median rent here is $2,112/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $2,060/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,400/mo.

At 24% of local median household income ($107,687/yr), ZIP 98043 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.8% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 98043?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $84,000/year (about $40/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $2,112/mo in ZIP 98043. The local median household income is $107,687/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 98043?

Rent in ZIP 98043 has risen 0.8% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 0.9% below its high of $2,131 in November 2025.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 98043?

Asking rents in ZIP 98043 are usually lowest in December, about 1.1% below their yearly trend, and highest in August, about 0.7% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $38 a month. This pattern comes from 5 years of Zillow rent data.

How does ZIP 98043 compare to other ZIPs in Washington?

ZIP 98043 is in the middle among Washington ZIP codes for rent, ranking #85 of 207 at $2,112/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 98043 changed +0.8%, against a typical +2.5% across the 193 Washington ZIP codes Zillow tracks.