Buckley is a city in Pierce County, Washington, home to about 5,371 people across 3.9 square miles. Its ZIP code is 98321.
Homes sold for a median of $296 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Buckley; also Prairie Heights and Lake Tapps
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Buckley. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Buckley’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)23 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Seattle, WA35 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Buckley; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Buckley had 5,114 residents in the 2020 census, up 23% since 2000.
It’s the 191st largest of 628 towns in Washington by population.
Pierce County grew from 55,515 residents in 1900 to 921,130 in 2020.
Pierce County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 77°F in summer, and winter lows average 33°F. About 48.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 4 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Buckley 1 Ne, WA weather station (3 miles away).
294,765 jobs at 20,051 businesses in Pierce County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
41 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Buckley.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 3 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 1 |
| Dentists | 2 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 10 |
| Mental health providers | 16 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 5 |
| Chiropractors | 4 |
| Pharmacies | 2 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies
Libraries
Museums
Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1889.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by White River School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White River Early Learning CenterBuckley | Pre-K–K | 360 | Public | 0.2 mi |
| White River Special Ed ServicesBuckley | Pre-K–K | 6 | Special Education | 1.9 mi |
| Elk Ridge ElementaryBuckley | K–5 | 564 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| White River HomeschoolBuckley | K–12 | — | Public | 1.9 mi |
| Foothills ElementaryBuckley | 1–5 | 470 | Public | 2.6 mi |
| Mountain Meadow ElementaryBuckley | 1–5 | 443 | Public | 0.2 mi |
| Glacier Middle SchoolBuckley | 6–8 | 999 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| White River High SchoolBuckley | 9–12 | 1,340 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| White River Reengagement ProgramBuckley | 9–12 | 40 | Alternative Education | 0.7 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Prairie Heights, Lake Tapps and Prairie Ridge.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.