Fords Prairie is a community in Lewis County, Washington, home to about 1,823 people across 3.7 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 98531.
Homes sold for a median of $250 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Centralia; part is in Fords Prairie
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Fords Prairie. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Fords Prairie’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)59 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Olympia Regional Airport (OLM)17 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Seattle, WA68 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Fords Prairie; 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.
Fords Prairie had 2,234 residents in the 2020 census, up 14% since 2000.
It’s the 322nd largest of 628 towns in Washington by population.
Lewis County grew from 15,157 residents in 1900 to 82,149 in 2020.
Lewis County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 78°F in summer, and winter lows average 34°F. About 41.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Centralia, WA weather station (about a mile away).
22,275 jobs at 1,990 businesses in Lewis County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
663 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Fords Prairie.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 46 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 43 |
| Dentists | 22 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 65 |
| Mental health providers | 421 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 53 |
| Optometrists | 4 |
| Chiropractors | 9 |
| Pharmacies | 14 |
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.
Parks (14 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies (2 nearby)
Libraries (2 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
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.
Public schools here are run by Centralia School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centralia School District SpEd Pre-schoolCentralia | Pre-K | 59 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Edison ElementaryCentralia | K–6 | 313 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| Fords Prairie ElementaryCentralia | K–6 | 443 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| Jefferson Lincoln ElementaryCentralia | K–6 | 357 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Oakview Elementary SchoolCentralia | K–6 | 317 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| Washington Elementary SchoolCentralia | K–6 | 294 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Centralia Middle SchoolCentralia | 7–8 | 479 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Centralia High SchoolCentralia | 9–12 | 941 | Public | 1.7 mi |
| Futurus High SchoolCentralia | 9–12 | 110 | Alternative Education | 0.6 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centralia Christian SchoolCentralia | Pre-K–10 | 224 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 1.6 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Centralia, Grand Mound and Bucoda.
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.