Real Estate Investing in Bucoda, Washington (98530)

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

Thurston County • Population: 511 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 98530 (Bucoda, WA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (58/100)

Mixed — home prices are stretched relative to local incomes. Run the math on your specific situation.

📈 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
3 flags
  • Elevated vacancy: 10.3% vacancy may signal weakening demand.
  • Tenant-protective state: Landlord rating 1.0/5 — slower evictions, more regulations.
  • Elevated poverty: 30.6% poverty rate — can affect rent collection.

• Limited market data — this is a very small market; averages are built from few observations and can swing widely. • Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Bucoda, WA (98530)?

Click any question — our AI will research it live from the web and show you sources.

✨ Live AI + Web Search
Want to ask your own questions? Upgrade to Pro for unlimited custom queries.
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 $317,462
Avg Monthly Rent $1,494
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $61,719
% Renters 34.4%

Market Analysis: 98530 Bucoda

ZIP 98530 in Bucoda, WA carries a durable set of headwinds. Home values near $317K and rents of $1,494/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

Looking more closely, the numbers look inviting — $317K purchase price, 0.0% nominal cap — the work to hit that pro forma in 98530 is substantial and deserves full respect.

Statewide comparisons place 98530 among WA's softer markets. That context does not make the ZIP uninvestable, but it does raise the bar for due diligence.

The 98530 ZIP's population of 511 has faced economic pressure over the last decade. That pressure shows up in rent delinquency patterns that stands at the need for careful underwriting.

Strategically, 98530 can be a high-return sleeve of a diversified portfolio — but it should not be the whole portfolio, and it should not be someone's first deal.

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 Bucoda:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 60/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 5.1× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+6.4%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,494/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
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
50 days
Average time to sell
Average
12.1%
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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metro data

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$340K$282K$225K$167K$109K$52KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 98530 Compare?

Metric 98530 Bucoda Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA Washington
Home Value $317,462 $317,462 N/A $591,536
5-Year CAGR 4.2% 4.2% N/A 5.9%
Avg Rent $1,494 $1,494 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.7% 3.7% - -
💡 Why Invest in 98530? 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.
Open the Market Finder →
Free to search · investor plans from $19/mo

Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 98530 (Bucoda, WA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 98530 (Bucoda, WA)?

~25 seconds · no account needed · your report is anonymous

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.7%
Low
5yr Growth
+4.2%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $317,462
Monthly Rent $1,494
Price-to-Rent 17.7:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.7%
Cap Rate 3.7%
5-Year IRR 7.8%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +6.4% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.8% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.2% ▲
10-Year CAGR +12.3% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.7%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.7%). 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
10.3%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
1.0/5
Protective
Value Trend (5yr)
+4.2%
Stable
Eviction process: Slow Rent control: Unfavorable

Demographics in 98530

Population: 511

💰 Median Household Income
$61,719
This area
$61,719
State
$83,286
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
34.4%
This area
34.4%
State
29.3%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
5.9%
This area
5.9%
State
-13.7%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
9.8%
This area
9.8%
State
10.6%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
35.4 years
This area
35.4 years
State
10.2 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
10.3%
This area
10.3%
State
14.9%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 92.3%
Other/Mixed 7.2%
Hispanic/Latino 3.0%
Asian 0.5%
👶 Under 18
28.3%
This area
28.3%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
15.2%
This area
15.2%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
30.6%
This area
30.6%
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

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

2 Nearby 1,134 Off-Campus Students
D
Centralia Beauty College
88 students · 7.5 mi
C+
Centralia College
2,335 students · 7.6 mi

Investor Insight: With 1,134 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of tenants rent in Bucoda, WA?

The renter base in Bucoda, WA is reasonable for the $1,494/mo price point. Screening well and pricing to market typically yields reliable tenants.

What strategy should investors use in Bucoda, WA?

Most investors in Bucoda, WA run a careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management strategy. It aligns with the 3.0/5 investability profile and the market fundamentals.

How expensive is real estate in Bucoda, WA?

Homes in Bucoda, WA typically sell near $317K. Prices have moved at a 0.0% 5-year CAGR, which stable long-term demand.

Can owner-occupants cash flow in Bucoda, WA?

House hacking in Bucoda, WA is a challenging. With home values around $317K and rents at $1,494/mo, owner-occupants can offset a meaningful share of PITI.

How landlord-friendly is Bucoda, WA?

WA ranks as a tenant-protective state for landlord-tenant law. Bucoda generally follows the statewide framework, so landlords face reasonable operating rules.

You know 98530 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 98530 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

Compare Plans

How 98530 ranks in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
🤖

AI Market Advisor

Ask questions about investing in 98530 (Bucoda)

Loading...

Community Ratings

What people who’ve spent time here actually say. Not paid reviews.

Be the first to rate 98530 (Bucoda, WA).

It takes 30 seconds. No signup. Your rating helps everyone who comes here after you.