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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Bellingham

Washington · 67,171 residents · 28.2 sq mi
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The short version

Bellingham is home to 67,171 people in Washington. 48% of homes are owner-occupied. This skews young, with a median age of 30.4. That trails the Washington median by roughly 29%. Growth has run 28% since 1990, or 14,893 more people. About 33% of adults have finished a four-year degree.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 30.4
US median: 35.2
More educated
33% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Less affordable
home values up 28%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
67,171
+28%since 1990
from 52,278 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
30.4
−2%since 1990
from 31.0 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
28.2 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
48K61K73K85K98K19902000201020202024Bellingham
202493K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.2%(3,502)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 94.8%(3,228)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 144.7%(3,151)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 199.5%(6,373)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2417.3%(11,603)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414.3%(9,616)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4412.2%(8,186)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5412.9%(8,690)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 646.6%(4,465)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 745.3%(3,537)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844.9%(3,292)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2.3%(1,528)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$32,530
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 1990
from $24,714 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$19,483
+42%since 1990
from $13,698 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
20.6%
+3.9 ptssince 1990
from 16.7% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$148,900
+28%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $88,200 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$613
+9%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $426 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
48.2%
−2.7 ptssince 1990
from 50.8% in 1990
51.8% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic93.8%(49,054)
Black0.8%(399)
Hispanic / Latino2.3%(1,210)
Asian2.9%(1,521)
2000
White, non-Hispanic85.9%(57,684)
Black0.9%(622)
Hispanic / Latino4.6%(3,111)
Asian4.2%(2,832)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican6.4%(5,978)
Puerto Rican0.4%(402)
Honduran0.4%(383)
Peruvian0.4%(330)
Spaniard0.3%(261)
Colombian0.2%(156)
Salvadoran0.2%(144)
Dominican0.2%(142)
Costa Rican0.1%(122)
Cuban0.1%(117)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Chilean0.1%(112)
Guatemalan0.1%(64)
Bolivian0%(44)
Argentine0%(38)
Asian origin
Chinese1.4%(1,331)
Filipino1.4%(1,288)
Asian Indian0.7%(696)
Vietnamese0.4%(348)
Korean0.4%(332)
Thai0.1%(110)
Japanese0.1%(102)
Taiwanese0.1%(97)
Pakistani0.1%(83)
Cambodian0.1%(75)
Burmese0%(37)
Kazakh0%(35)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(69)
Fijian0%(42)
Samoan0%(32)
Tongan0%(25)
Ancestry
German16.9%(15,751)
English15.5%(14,493)
Irish12.6%(11,766)
Norwegian5.1%(4,753)
Scottish3.8%(3,592)
Italian3.6%(3,339)
French3.1%(2,891)
Swedish2.9%(2,711)
Dutch2.8%(2,602)
American2.7%(2,564)
Polish2.6%(2,439)
Welsh1.3%(1,222)
+ 43 more ancestry groups with data
British0.9%(823)
Russian0.8%(778)
Swiss0.8%(723)
Canadian0.6%(603)
Danish0.6%(586)
Portuguese0.5%(485)
Finnish0.5%(450)
Arab0.4%(383)
Hungarian0.3%(276)
Czech0.3%(272)
Ukrainian0.2%(233)
Austrian0.2%(174)
Lebanese0.2%(163)
Greek0.2%(163)
Ghanaian0.2%(162)
Bulgarian0.2%(146)
Iranian0.1%(134)
Croatian0.1%(123)
Lithuanian0.1%(122)
West Indian0.1%(119)
Romanian0.1%(118)
Egyptian0.1%(105)
Belgian0.1%(88)
Jamaican0.1%(87)
Latvian0.1%(77)
Slovak0.1%(73)
Australian0.1%(55)
Brazilian0.1%(52)
Israeli0%(41)
Serbian0%(40)
Slovene0%(38)
Turkish0%(36)
Syrian0%(19)
Somali0%(19)
Jordanian0%(18)
Armenian0%(15)
Ethiopian0%(14)
Iraqi0%(10)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
33.0%
+4.9 ptssince 1990
from 28.2% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
88.5%
+3.3 ptssince 1990
from 85.2% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
11.2%
+2.1 ptssince 1990
from 9.1% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
12.0 min
−19%since 1990
from 15.0 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married43.3%(11,919)
Married45.3%(12,472)
Widowed2.3%(639)
Divorced9.2%(2,523)
Women 15+
Never married37%(11,042)
Married41.5%(12,387)
Widowed9.7%(2,891)
Divorced11.8%(3,514)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
5.3%
−8.4 ptssince 2013
from 13.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
56.6%
−1.6 ptssince 2020
from 58.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.3%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 17.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
17.7%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 17.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
20.8%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 19.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.3%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 2.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
70.8%
−2.5 ptssince 2020
from 73.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
36.4%
+2.5 ptssince 2020
from 33.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)26.5%(1,045)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)24.7%(973)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era36%(1,420)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.8%(228)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.9%(37)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 3,939 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Bellingham, Washington?

Bellingham, Washington has about 67,171 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Bellingham, Washington?

The typical household in Bellingham, Washington earns about $32,530 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Bellingham, Washington expensive?

In Bellingham, Washington, the median home is worth about $148,900, and the typical rent is about $613 a month.

How educated are people in Bellingham, Washington?

About 33.0% of adults age 25 and over in Bellingham, Washington hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Bellingham, Washington?

About 20.6% of people in Bellingham, Washington live below the federal poverty line.

Has Bellingham, Washington grown since 1990?

Yes, Bellingham, Washington has grown since 1990. The population has added about 14,893 residents, a change of about 28 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →