Sign In Register

Bellingham, WA

Full City Profile · Washington · Island County County

2.8 /5.0
C+ Fair
92,367 Population 3,275/sq mi density
$65,821 Median Income $42,120 per capita
$577,400 Home Value $658,167 Zillow
$1,478 Median Rent 37.3% income on rent
52°F Avg Temperature 233 sunny days/yr
273 Violent Crime/100K 2,926 property/100K
C+
Overall
2.8 / 5.0
Fair overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B+
Economy
3.9 / 5.0
$65,821 median income, 3.7% unemployment
D
Affordability
1.7 / 5.0
$577,400 home value, $1,478/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
273 violent crimes/100K
A+
Education
4.7 / 5.0
46.5% bachelor's degree or higher

Bellingham, WA

At a Glance

Median Income
$65,821
12% below
$42,120 per capita
Home Value
$577,400
105% above
Zillow: $658,167
Median Rent
$1,478/mo
27% above
37.3% of income on rent
Violent Crime
273/100K
28% below
2,926/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
46.5%
38% above
95.0% high school+
Unemployment
3.7%
3% above
8.2% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
27.9%
13% below
11.9% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
52°F
233 sunny days/yr

How Bellingham Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Bellingham's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
88%
Home Value
205%
Rent
127%
Poverty
66%
Bachelor's
138%
Unemployment
103%
Crime
72%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Bellingham a Good Place to Live?

C+
2.8 / 5.0 — Fair
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Bellingham residents earn a median household income of $65,821 , which is 12% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $42,120. The unemployment rate stands at 3.7% (3% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 8.2% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 2,142 business establishments, including 163 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Bellingham is $577,400 , 105% above the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $658,167. Median rent is $1,478/month, with 37.3% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 107.0 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1985.

Safety & Crime

Bellingham reports 273 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 28% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 2,926/100K. The murder rate is 4.4/100K.

Education

46.5% of adults in Bellingham hold a bachelor's degree or higher (38% above the national average). 95.0% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.7/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Bellingham has an average annual temperature of 52°F (11°C). Winters average 42°F in January while summers reach 65°F in July. The area gets 233 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 45.5 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 28.

Data Overview

People

Population92,367
Median Age34.5 yrs
Density3,275/mi²
Male / Female49% / 51%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans5.3%

Economy

B+
Median Income$65,821
Per Capita$42,120
Unemployment3.7%
Poverty8.2%
County GDP$4,664M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,133

Housing

D
Home Value$577,400
Rent$1,478
Ownership45.2%
Zillow$658,167
Housing Units42,358
Rent Burden37.3%

Crime

F
Violent273/100K
Property2,926/100K
Murder4.4/100K
Assault172/100K
Burglary351/100K

Health

Obesity27.9%
Diabetes8.1%
Smoking11.9%
Heart Disease5.0%
Premature Death5,965/100K

Climate

Avg Temp52°F
Sunny Days233/yr
Rain45.5 in/yr
AQI28 (Good)
Elevation62 ft

Education

A+
Bachelor's+46.5%
High School+95.0%
Graduate+19.4%
School Score5.7/10

Community

2024 VoteR 40% / D 57%
Commute19 min
Broadband93.3%
Internet Speed128 Mbps
EV Stations95
Libraries6

Did You Know?

The median home in Bellingham was built in 1985.
The nearest airport is Bellingham International (4 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.424 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
12.5% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 128 Mbps.
There are 163 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 5 fatal vehicle crashes.
91 declared natural disasters on record.