Census tract · Whatcom County
Census Tract 12.04, Whatcom County, Washington
Census Tract 12.04, GEOID 53073001204, in Whatcom County, Washington, entirely within Bellingham. 4,700 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±833); the 2020 Census counted 3,710.
Residents, 2020-2024
4,700
±833 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,710
Median household income
$43,922
±$13,445 (90% margin)
Whatcom County: $81,784
Median home value
$315,100
±$168,468 (90% margin)
Whatcom County: $585,800
Median gross rent
$1,388
±$78 (90% margin)
Whatcom County: $1,555
Where is Census Tract 12.04?
Census Tract 12.04 is one of 54 census tracts in Whatcom County, Washington. It covers 0.64 square miles of land, 5,788 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 53073001204, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Bellingham | 100% |
4 census tracts border Census Tract 12.04: Tract 9.02 ($100,417), Tract 10 ($41,136), Tract 12.02 ($97,692) and Tract 12.03 ($60,257). 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 12.04?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 12.04's population at 4,700 (±833) in 2,612 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,710 residents and 1,973 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 12.04 | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,700 ±833 | 93,438 |
| Households | 2,612 ±400 | 41,500 |
| Average household size | 1.78 ±0.18 | 2.15 |
| Housing units | 2,673 ±398 | 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 12.04?
The median resident of Census Tract 12.04 is 26.0 years old; 12.6% are under 18 and 6.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 75.6%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 6.8%. 10.2% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 12.04 | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 26.0 ±2.7 | 34.1 |
| Under 18 years | 12.6% ±5.5 pts | 13.8% |
| 65 years and over | 6.7% ±1.6 pts | 16.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.6% ±3.2 pts | 10.2% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 75.6% ±6.4 pts | 76.2% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.7% ±2.3 pts | 1.3% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 6.8% ±3.6 pts | 5.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.5% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.1% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.0% ±3.2 pts | 6.2% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.3% |
| Born outside the United States | 10.2% ±5.0 pts | 8.5% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 11.5% ±5.2 pts | 11.9% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.5% ±5.8 pts | 4.9% |
| With a disability | 14.0% ±4.8 pts | 14.1% |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.6% ±2.9 pts | 5.3% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.3% ±4.2 pts | 95.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 55.5% ±12.5 pts | 48.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 35.1% ±14.4 pts | 19.8% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 75.9% ±7.1 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 12.04 earn?
Half of the 2,612 households in Census Tract 12.04 earn less than $43,922 a year (±$13,445), against $81,784 across Whatcom County: 52nd highest of the county's 54 tracts with a reliable estimate. 32.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 12.04 | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $43,922 ±$13,445 | $66,755 |
| Mean household income | $56,558 ±$12,786 | $94,859 |
| Per capita income | $31,334 ±$6,537 | $42,947 |
| People below the poverty line | 32.8% ±11.2 pts | 18.6% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 51.9% ±33.8 pts | 18.8% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 15.9% ±6.7 pts | 12.2% |
| Households with a computer | 98.6% ±1.7 pts | 98.0% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.0% ±4.6 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 12.04?
Owners occupy 29.5% of Census Tract 12.04's occupied homes and renters 70.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $315,100 by its owner (±$168,468). The median renter pays $1,388 a month including utilities, and 58.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 12.04 | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $315,100 ±$168,468 | $627,500 |
| Median gross rent | $1,388 ±$78 | $1,577 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 58.9% ±9.3 pts | 54.0% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,637 ±$218 | $2,331 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 29.5% ±11.5 pts | 44.6% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 70.5% ±11.5 pts | 55.4% |
| Housing units | 2,673 ±398 | 43,792 |
| Single-family detached homes | 15.3% ±9.4 pts | 43.4% |
| Mobile homes | 5.2% ±7.0 pts | 2.4% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 2.1% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 12.5% ±9.3 pts | 12.6% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.5% ±2.4 pts | 17.0% |
| Households with no vehicle | 20.0% ±6.6 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 12.04 get to work?
57.4% of Census Tract 12.04's workers drive alone and 11.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.8%.
| Measure | Tract 12.04 | Bellingham |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 74.6% ±7.2 pts | 66.2% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.8% ±4.1 pts | 5.6% |
| Drove alone to work | 57.4% ±9.4 pts | 63.7% |
| Carpooled | 10.6% ±5.8 pts | 6.8% |
| Public transportation | 4.3% ±3.0 pts | 3.3% |
| Walked | 8.3% ±5.1 pts | 6.9% |
| Worked from home | 11.6% ±5.2 pts | 14.7% |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.5 min ±2.6 | 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 12.04 compare with the other tracts in Whatcom County?
Among Whatcom County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 12.04 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Whatcom County | In Bellingham |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 20th of 54 | 9th of 23 |
| Residents per square mile | 3rd of 54 | 3rd of 23 |
| Median household income | 52nd of 54 | 21st of 23 |
| Per capita income | 50th of 54 | 20th of 23 |
| Median home value | 52nd of 54 | 22nd of 23 |
| Median gross rent | 36th of 48 | 19th of 23 |
| Poverty rate | 3rd of 39 | 3rd of 18 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7th of 54 | 5th of 23 |
| Median age | 51st of 54 | 20th of 23 |
| Owner-occupied share | 49th of 54 | 18th of 23 |
The tracts next to it on Whatcom County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| 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 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 12.04 | 52nd | $43,922±$13,445 |
| Tract 10 | 53rd | $41,136±$20,599 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 6 | 54th | $35,958±$8,604 · within the margin of this tract |
"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 12.04?
1 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 12.04 on this page carries a coefficient of variation over 40% and is 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