Census tract · Whatcom County
Census Tract 9.03, Whatcom County, Washington
Census Tract 9.03, GEOID 53073000903, in Whatcom County, Washington, entirely within Bellingham. 4,345 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±668); the 2020 Census counted 4,867.
Residents, 2020-2024
4,345
±668 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 4,867
Median household income
$52,179
±$10,462 (90% margin)
Whatcom County: $81,784
Median home value
$445,500
±$61,298 (90% margin)
Whatcom County: $585,800
Median gross rent
$1,677
±$116 (90% margin)
Whatcom County: $1,555
Where is Census Tract 9.03?
Census Tract 9.03 is one of 54 census tracts in Whatcom County, Washington. It covers 1.20 square miles of land, 4,049 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 53073000903, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Bellingham | 100% |
7 census tracts border Census Tract 9.03: Tract 5.01 ($71,467), Tract 7 ($70,526), Tract 8.03 ($100,402), Tract 8.05 ($114,740), Tract 9.02 ($100,417), Tract 9.04 ($117,250) and Tract 10 ($41,136). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 9.03?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 9.03's population at 4,345 (±668) in 1,852 households; the 2020 Census counted 4,867 residents and 2,247 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 9.03 | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,345 ±668 | 93,438 |
| Households | 1,852 ±220 | 41,500 |
| Average household size | 2.31 ±0.24 | 2.15 |
| Housing units | 1,933 ±212 | 43,792 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 9.03?
The median resident of Census Tract 9.03 is 24.8 years old; 13.6% are under 18 and 11.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 75.1%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 10.6%. 8.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 9.03 | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 24.8 ±3.3 | 34.1 |
| Under 18 years | 13.6% ±3.1 pts | 13.8% |
| 65 years and over | 11.7% ±3.5 pts | 16.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 10.6% ±6.8 pts | 10.2% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 75.1% ±9.0 pts | 76.2% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.8 pts | 1.3% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.4% ±2.9 pts | 5.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.5% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.1% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 9.2% ±5.7 pts | 6.2% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.6 pts | 0.3% |
| Born outside the United States | 8.0% ±4.0 pts | 8.5% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 13.4% ±8.3 pts | 11.9% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.1% ±3.1 pts | 4.9% |
| With a disability | 16.2% ±4.5 pts | 14.1% |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.6% ±2.3 pts | 5.3% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.3% ±5.9 pts | 95.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 41.0% ±8.9 pts | 48.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 16.3% ±6.5 pts | 19.8% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 73.1% ±8.9 pts | 76.6% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 9.03 earn?
Half of the 1,852 households in Census Tract 9.03 earn less than $52,179 a year (±$10,462), against $81,784 across Whatcom County: 51st highest of the county's 54 tracts with a reliable estimate. 13.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 9.03 | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,179 ±$10,462 | $66,755 |
| Mean household income | $69,059 ±$9,911 | $94,859 |
| Per capita income | $30,201 ±$4,777 | $42,947 |
| People below the poverty line | 13.5% ±5.8 pts | 18.6% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 1.7% ±8.6 pts | 18.8% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.9% ±8.3 pts | 12.2% |
| Households with a computer | 100.0% ±2.1 pts | 98.0% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 96.1% ±3.9 pts | 93.8% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 9.03?
Owners occupy 27.4% of Census Tract 9.03's occupied homes and renters 72.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $445,500 by its owner (±$61,298). The median renter pays $1,677 a month including utilities, and 58.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 9.03 | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $445,500 ±$61,298 | $627,500 |
| Median gross rent | $1,677 ±$116 | $1,577 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 58.4% ±13.5 pts | 54.0% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,065 ±$722 | $2,331 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 27.4% ±6.9 pts | 44.6% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 72.6% ±6.9 pts | 55.4% |
| Housing units | 1,933 ±212 | 43,792 |
| Single-family detached homes | 23.1% ±7.1 pts | 43.4% |
| Mobile homes | 8.7% ±4.1 pts | 2.4% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 2.1% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.2% ±7.2 pts | 12.6% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.2% ±3.1 pts | 17.0% |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.1% ±5.1 pts | 9.5% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 9.03 get to work?
80.9% of Census Tract 9.03's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 18.8 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 9.03 | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.8% ±10.7 pts | 66.2% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% ±2.4 pts | 5.6% |
| Drove alone to work | 80.9% ±8.4 pts | 63.7% |
| Carpooled | 5.1% ±4.1 pts | 6.8% |
| Public transportation | 0.1% ±0.4 pts | 3.3% |
| Walked | 1.7% ±2.0 pts | 6.9% |
| Worked from home | 8.8% ±6.5 pts | 14.7% |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.8 min ±3.8 | 18.1 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 9.03 compare with the other tracts in Whatcom County?
Among Whatcom County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 9.03 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Whatcom County | In Bellingham |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 21st of 54 | 10th of 23 |
| Residents per square mile | 10th of 54 | 10th of 23 |
| Median household income | 51st of 54 | 20th of 23 |
| Per capita income | 51st of 54 | 21st of 23 |
| Median home value | 44th of 54 | 18th of 23 |
| Median gross rent | 18th of 48 | 8th of 23 |
| Poverty rate | 19th of 39 | 13th of 18 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24th of 54 | 16th of 23 |
| Median age | 52nd of 54 | 21st of 23 |
| Owner-occupied share | 50th of 54 | 19th of 23 |
The tracts next to it on Whatcom County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 2.03 | 48th | $58,864±$25,577 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 101.01 | 49th | $57,057±$12,527 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 3.02 | 50th | $55,297±$17,322 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9.03 | 51st | $52,179±$10,462 |
| Tract 12.04 | 52nd | $43,922±$13,445 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 10 | 53rd | $41,136±$20,599 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 6 | 54th | $35,958±$8,604 |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 9.03?
3 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 9.03 on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections