City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Bellingham, WA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Bellingham - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

92,367
Residents
$65,821
Median income
$577,400
Median home
$1,671
Median rent (state)

Bellingham - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Bellingham places in the 44th percentile for household income and the 7th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

44th
percentile, household income
88th
percentile, home value
66th
percentile, median rent
7th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Bellingham, WA

Bellingham is a small city in Washington, home to 92,367 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Bellingham brings in $65,821 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.2%. Home values in Bellingham run a median of $577,400, and the median resident age is 34.5 years. Educational attainment runs 46.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 61.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 535 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 50% from five years earlier. Bellingham's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 4106.9 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 51.2°F with 34.7 inches of precipitation per year.

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Washington at 107.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,671 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Washington run around $188, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 78.0 out of 100 (High).

Population

92,367 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$65,821 /yr

Poverty 8.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Bellingham compare to other US cities?

Here's how Bellingham stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 44% higher than other cities
Home value 88% pricier than other cities
Median rent 66% pricier than other cities
Safety 7% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Washington and the picture shifts: Bellingham ranks #136 of 156 Washington cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Bellingham's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Washington, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

44thIncome percentile
7thSafety percentile

44th percentile nationally for median household income · 7th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Bellingham's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Bellingham's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 25 Avg. percentile National median
Bellingham's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Bellingham's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$577,400 12th percentile more affordable than 12% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Bellingham $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Bellingham, WA Bellingham, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Bellingham, WA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Bellingham, WA median $65,821/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Bellingham, WA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Bellingham, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 46.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
92,367
Median Income
$65,821
Median Home Value
$577,400
Median Age
34.5
Poverty Rate
8.2%
Labor force participation
61.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
46.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4106.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
350.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3756.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
51.2°F
Annual Precipitation
34.7"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
34
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
88,000 residents90,000 residents92,000 residents94,000 residents96,000 residents98,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 91,863 residents 96,395 residents ▲ +4.9%
Bellingham's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
535
housing units authorized
Single-Family
261
detached homes
Multifamily
274
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,072
2020 656
2021 1,115
2022 833
2023 402
2024 535

Permit volume decreased 50% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
63.5%
Carpool
7.5%
Public Transit
3.3%
Walk
6.1%
Work from Home
14.5%
Other
5.1%

Based on 49,105 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Washington - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$48
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$188
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Washington state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Washington state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Bellingham sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,671/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
78.0 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Kirkland
91,614 people
Yakima
96,810 people
Federal Way
99,232 people
Auburn
85,455 people
Kennewick
84,389 people
Renton
105,279 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Bellingham's 92,367 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hoover, AL
92,401 people
Mission Viejo, CA
92,415 people
Roswell, GA
92,577 people
Mount Pleasant, SC
92,662 people
O'Fallon, MO
92,697 people
South Gate, CA
91,836 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Bellingham's $65,821 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Belleville, AR
$65,815 median income
New London, IA
$65,815 median income
University Park, IA
$65,815 median income
Oppelo, AR
$65,813 median income
Oakford, IL
$65,813 median income
Shaktoolik, AK
$65,833 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Bellingham, WA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Bellingham, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 79.5% 9.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10.0% White 79.5% Black or African American 1.3% Asian 5.4% American Indian 0.9% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 3.4% Two or more races 9.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Bellingham compares to nearby Washington cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Bellingham (this city) 92,367 $65,821
Kirkland 91,614 $143,533
Yakima 96,810 $59,228
Federal Way 99,232 $82,144
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Bellingham, WA?

What is the population of Bellingham, WA? +

Bellingham, WA counts 92,367 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Bellingham, WA? +

The median household income in Bellingham is $65,821 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Bellingham? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Bellingham; the closest available measure is the Washington state average, a cost of living index of 107.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Washington vary by metro area.

Is Bellingham, WA safe? +

Bellingham has a total crime rate of 4106.9 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Bellingham, WA? +

The median home value in Bellingham is $577,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Bellingham? +

Climate normals put Bellingham's yearly average temperature at 51.2°F, 34.7 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.