Wes

<apex:pageBlockSectionItem >
	<apex:outputPanel>
    		<apex:outputText id="zipcode" value="{!PostalCode}"/>
    		<script>
        		var zip = document.getElementById("{!$Component.zipcode}");
       			alert('zip:'+zip);
        	</script>
	</apex:outputPanel>
    </apex:pageBlockSectionItem>