Real Estate Investing in Lynnwood, Washington (98026)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Snohomish County • Population: 38,985 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 98026 (Lynnwood, WA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (50/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
2 flags
  • Tenant-protective state: Landlord rating 1.0/5 — slower evictions, more regulations.
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 30.5 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

What’s happening in Lynnwood, WA (98026)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $850,496
Avg Monthly Rent $2,325
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $118,151
% Renters 25.9%

Market Analysis: 98026 Lynnwood

Turning to rents, ZIP 98026 has challenges — vacancy pressure, softer price growth, and tenant stability concerns sit alongside the $850K median. It rewards specialists, not generalists.

The investment case in 98026 is durable only for operators who understand what they are buying. A $850K median suggests accessibility, but management intensity, vacancy drift, and capex surprises are real.

Regionally, 98026 sits on the difficult end of the WA spectrum. The a solid fit for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

Who lives in 98026 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

leans the ZIP is not uninvestable, but it is unforgiving. Section 8 landlords, local operators, and specialized value-add funds are the investor types that tend to succeed.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Lynnwood:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 61/100
Affordability
5/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 7.2× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+1.5%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $2,325/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
45 days
Average time to sell
Average
11.2%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 98026

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
4.6% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
5BR
+8.2% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$231,636/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $309,056 $1,970 4.6% +4.4% $309,056
2BR $489,165 $2,300 3.4% +5.7% $244,582
3BR $799,351 $3,010 2.7% +6.9% $266,450
4BR $997,430 $3,540 2.6% +7.5% $249,358
5BR $1,158,180 +8.2% $231,636

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$936K$792K$648K$504K$360K$215KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$2,559$2,329$2,099$1,869$1,639$1,409Jul 2017Jan 2022Jul 2026

📊 How Does 98026 Compare?

Metric 98026 Lynnwood Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Washington
Home Value $850,496 $795,529 N/A $591,536
5-Year CAGR 3.6% 3.5% N/A 5.9%
Avg Rent $2,325 $2,206 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.1% 2.2% - -
💡 Why Invest in 98026? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 98026 (Lynnwood, WA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Snohomish County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

inTrust Property Management offers HOA Management Services in King & Snohomish Counties. summary from their website

HOA
Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Haven Property Management is a full-service residential management company based in Federal Way, WA, covering the Greater Puget Sound area. summary from their website

Single-familySmall multifamily
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Navigate Community Management provides community management services. summary from their website

HOA
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Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.1%
Low
5yr Growth
+3.6%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $850,496
Monthly Rent $2,325
Price-to-Rent 30.5:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.3%
Cap Rate 2.1%
5-Year IRR 5.7%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +1.5% ▲
3-Year CAGR +3.2% ▲
5-Year CAGR +3.6% ▲
10-Year CAGR +7.3% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +4.2% ▲
3-Year CAGR +3.0% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.2% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.1%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.1%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
3.2%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
1.0/5
Protective
Value Trend (5yr)
+3.6%
Stable
Eviction process: Slow Rent control: Unfavorable

Demographics in 98026

Population: 38,985

💰 Median Household Income
$118,151
This area
$118,151
State
$83,286
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
25.9%
This area
25.9%
State
29.3%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.8%
This area
2.8%
State
-13.7%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
45.2%
This area
45.2%
State
10.6%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
43.3 years
This area
43.3 years
State
10.2 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
3.2%
This area
3.2%
State
14.9%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 70.8%
Other/Mixed 14.3%
Asian 12.1%
Hispanic/Latino 6.6%
Black/African American 2.8%
👶 Under 18
18.9%
This area
18.9%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
18.4%
This area
18.4%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
2.9%
This area
2.9%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 98026

A Avg School Grade
6 Schools
17.5:1 Avg Class Size
$21,956 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Picnic Point Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
466 Students
👨‍🏫
14.8:1 Class Size
💰
$23,427 Per Student
A Very Good

Maplewood Parent Coop

📚 K – 08 School
👥
470 Students
👨‍🏫
17.3:1 Class Size
💰
$21,221 Per Student
A Very Good

Seaview Elementary

📚 K – 06 School
👥
406 Students
👨‍🏫
16.0:1 Class Size
💰
$21,221 Per Student
A Very Good

Serene Lake Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
464 Students
👨‍🏫
16.3:1 Class Size
💰
$23,427 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Madrona K-8 School

📚 Pre-K – 08 School
👥
600 Students
👨‍🏫
16.6:1 Class Size
💰
$21,221 Per Student
B Good

Edmonds Woodway High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,578 Students
👨‍🏫
23.9:1 Class Size
💰
$21,221 Per Student

Nearby Schools (5 more)

Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area

A+ Excellent

Cedar Valley Community School

📚 K – 06 School
📍 19200 56TH AVE W, LYNNWOOD
👥
450 Students
👨‍🏫
13.6:1 Class Size
💰
$21,221 Per Student
A+ Excellent

College Place Elementary

📚 K – 06 School
📍 20401 76TH AVE W, LYNNWOOD
👥
436 Students
👨‍🏫
13.8:1 Class Size
💰
$21,221 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Hazelwood Elementary

📚 K – 06 School
📍 3300 204TH ST SW, LYNNWOOD
👥
400 Students
👨‍🏫
13.9:1 Class Size
💰
$21,221 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Martha Lake Elementary

📚 K – 06 School
📍 17500 LARCH WAY, LYNNWOOD
👥
522 Students
👨‍🏫
14.7:1 Class Size
💰
$21,221 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Oak Heights Elementary

📚 K – 06 School
📍 15500 18TH AVE W, LYNNWOOD
👥
540 Students
👨‍🏫
15.0:1 Class Size
💰
$21,221 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby 9,005 Off-Campus Students
C+
Edmonds College
6,028 students · 1.3 mi
C
Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Shoreline
127 students · 5.1 mi
C
Shoreline Community College
4,460 students · 6.2 mi
C
Evergreen Beauty and Barber College-Everett
1,019 students · 7.2 mi
C
Bastyr University
760 students · 8.2 mi
C
Cascadia College
2,013 students · 8.3 mi
B
University of Washington-Bothell Campus
5,809 students · 8.4 mi
D
Pima Medical Institute-Seattle
450 students · 9.4 mi

Investor Insight: With 9,005 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What real estate strategy is ideal for Lynnwood, WA?

For Lynnwood, WA, careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management is the standard investor playbook. The market structure makes it a reasonable default approach.

What do rentals go for in Lynnwood, WA?

Average rent in Lynnwood, WA is approximately $2,325/mo per month. Against $850K home values that yields a reasonable rent-to-price ratio.

How landlord-friendly is Lynnwood, WA?

The landlord environment in Lynnwood, WA is tenant-protective. Statewide rules shape most day-to-day operations for rental owners.

What is the typical renter like in Lynnwood, WA?

Lynnwood, WA offers a consistent renter base at the $2,325/mo rent level. Tenant turnover is reasonable for well-managed properties.

What kind of market is Lynnwood, WA for investors?

Investors tracking Lynnwood, WA will find a 3.0/5 rating supported by $850K median home values and $2,325/mo rents. That profile suits long-term holders targeting reliable returns.

You know 98026 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 98026 ranks in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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