Live in Columbia City, ZIP code 98118? Then your average annual car insurance premium is $928. Live in Belltown, ZIP code 98121? Lucky you, because your average annual car insurance rate is $810. What’s the difference between these two Seattle ZIP codes? The median household income in Columbia City is $53,000, while in Belltown it’s $140,000. Oh, and Columbia City is 25% African American, but less than 4% of Belltown’s residents are Black.
In Seattle, as in much of the country, ZIP codes reveal the racial composition of a community. Credit scores tend to be lower in communities of color, and Washington state insurers charge higher rates for individuals with lower scores.
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