Housing Value★★★★★★★★★★2.1 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Living in Bellingham, WA
Explore Bellingham and see how it fits the life you want to build.
Overall Match6.4 / 10
Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.
Bellingham at a Glance
Key facts and current data
Population93,438
Median Household Income$66,755
Median Home Value$627,500
Median Gross Rent$1,577
Median Age34.1
Average Household Size2.2
Unemployment5.6%
Work From Home14.7%
Homeownership44.6%
Housing Vacancy5.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.
Bellingham is a mid-sized community where local neighborhoods, nearby job centers and regional access can matter as much as citywide averages. Housing costs are high relative to local household income, making affordability one of the more important factors to examine before relocating here.
Experience the Area
Experience Life in Bellingham Before You Move
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NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Bellingham and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.
NarrowTheList Ratings
Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.
Housing & Cost of Living in Bellingham
Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau
Median Home Value$627,500
Median Gross Rent$1,577
Homeownership44.6%
Housing Vacancy5.2%
Home values are relatively high compared with local household income, so purchase affordability deserves close attention. Renters make up a substantial share of the local housing market.
Jobs, Income & Remote Work
Employment and household-income context for Bellingham, WA
Median Household Income$66,755
Unemployment5.6%
Work From Home14.7%
The reported unemployment rate is in a middle range. A meaningful share of employed residents work from home.
Population & Household Profile
Who lives in Bellingham and how households are structured
Population93,438
Median Age34.1
Average Household Size2.2
Bellingham is a mid-sized community where neighborhood and nearby-employment patterns can materially affect a relocation decision.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.
Climate & Weather in Bellingham
Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context
NOAA climate normals for Bellingham point to warm summers, cool winters, a wetter annual rainfall pattern and occasional snowfall.
Average Summer High75.1°F
Average Winter Low34.8°F
Annual Rainfall38.2 in.
Annual Snowfall3.4 in.
Seasonal Life in Bellingham
What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.
Spring
Spring is a useful time to evaluate how quickly outdoor conditions become comfortable and how seasonal rain affects everyday routines.
Summer
Summer highs are comparatively mild, which may reduce cooling demands and can make daytime outdoor activity more comfortable than in hotter inland locations.
Fall
Fall can be one of the best seasons for comparing neighborhoods because daily routines are active while temperatures transition away from summer conditions.
Winter
Winter is generally cool with limited snowfall. Heating needs still matter, but snow-related disruption should be less central than in colder markets.
Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.
Bellingham is located in Whatcom County, but city-level housing, income and neighborhood conditions can differ meaningfully from countywide averages. Whatcom County. Current county foreclosure activity is classified as medium, adding another housing-market signal for buyers comparing conventional and distressed-property opportunities.
County Intelligence
Bellingham & Whatcom County
Medium
Foreclosure Activity
Bellingham is located in Whatcom County, Washington.
NarrowTheList uses county-level information alongside local community data because many factors that matter when choosing a place to live are measured beyond city boundaries. Housing, property taxes, employment, healthcare access and other regional characteristics can add useful context to the picture of life in Bellingham.
Current NarrowTheList data for Bellingham shows a population of about 93,438. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.
Foreclosure Activity: Medium. Current signal uses NarrowTheList foreclosure-opportunity data until direct county delinquency and foreclosure datasets are connected.
For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.
County relationship
Whatcom County
How NarrowTheList uses it
County information is used as a supporting geographic layer, not as a substitute for local data. As more county datasets are added, NarrowTheList can use them to improve comparisons, ratings and relocation insights for Bellingham.
For someone considering a move to Bellingham, the available data currently points to housing affordability that deserves careful budgeting. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.