WA is home to 4 of America’s most expensive zip codes. Think you can afford these houses?

Shaun Goodwin
·3 min read

With mortgage rates hitting a 20-year high and an economy beginning to falter at the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic, housing market sales are beginning to stall, and price growth is grinding.

But not at the top end of the market, where the top 100 most expensive zip codes in the United States have seen an 86% increase in housing prices over the past year.

That includes Washington state, which is home to four of the top 100 most expensive zip codes, according to a study from PropertyShark, a real estate search and property information website.

All four zip codes were in King County, the most populous county in the state and 12th-most in the nation.

Medina’s 98039 zip code topped the group with a median sale price of $4.75 million and ranked sixth in the nation.

Mercer Island was next most-expensive in the Evergreen State. The island’s zip code of 98040 ranked 59th in the nation with a median price of $2.28 million.

Bellevue’s 98004 zip code ranked 88th with a median price of $1.9 million, and Sammamish’s 98075 zip code 90th with a median price of $1.87m to round out Washington’s top 100 entries.

Medina’s zip code 98039 ranked as the sixth-most expensive zip code in the nation for median house price, the highest it’s every ranked.
Medina’s zip code 98039 ranked as the sixth-most expensive zip code in the nation for median house price, the highest it’s every ranked.

Washington is far from the state with the most zip codes in the top 100 — that honor belongs to California.

PropertyShark’s list counts any zip codes with the same median price as a tie and then continues the list with the following subsequent number, meaning despite being a “top 100 list,” it features 128 zip codes.

California claims 90 of those zip codes, with Los Angeles County home to 21 of them. New York is 2nd with 17, Massachusetts 3rd with six, and Washington is tied with New Jersey for four zip codes.

California was home to 90 of PropertyShark’s top 128 most-expensive zip codes for median house prices.
California was home to 90 of PropertyShark’s top 128 most-expensive zip codes for median house prices.

PropertyShark determined which zip codes had the highest median price by observing residential transactions made between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31, 2022, taking into account condos, co-ops, and single- and two-family homes.

The study only considered zip codes that registered a minimum of three residential transactions.

Most expensive houses on the market

Here are the most expensive houses listed on Zillow in each of Washington’s four zip codes that made the list:

Medina - 98039

3267 Evergreen Point Road - $18.88 million

3267 Evergreen Point is the most expensive house currently on the market in Medina’s 98039 zip code.
3267 Evergreen Point is the most expensive house currently on the market in Medina’s 98039 zip code.

This five-bedroom, nine-bathroom house is listed for $18.88 million and sits on the coast of Lake Washington. It has over 9,100 square feet of space and a west-facing lawn toward Seattle and the Olympic Mountains.

Mercer Island - 98040

5330 Butterworth Road - $16.9 million

5330 Butterworth Road is the most expensive house currently on the market in Mercer Island’s 98040 zip code.
5330 Butterworth Road is the most expensive house currently on the market in Mercer Island’s 98040 zip code.

With five bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, this Mercer Island house sits on the island’s east side and provides an unobstructed view of Mount Rainier in the distance.

Bellevue - 98004

Hunts Point - $85 million

Although its address is undisclosed, this is the most expensive house currently on the market in Bellevue’s 98004 zip code.
Although its address is undisclosed, this is the most expensive house currently on the market in Bellevue’s 98004 zip code.

The address isn’t disclosed on Zillow for this house, but it’ll run you $85 million to purchase it. The 5-bedroom house sits on a 4.3-acre estate with 327 feet of Lake Washington shoreline. The property has four structures in total, including the main living space and a lakeside dock.

Sammamish - 98075

2821 226th Ave. SE - $5 million

2821 226th Avenue SE is the most expensive house currently on the market in Sammamish’s 98075 zip code.
2821 226th Avenue SE is the most expensive house currently on the market in Sammamish’s 98075 zip code.

For just a cool $5 million, you can purchase this six-bedroom, 4,996-square-foot house on the shores of Pine Lake, just a few streets away from Lake Sammamish. The house has nine garage bays and a private dock.