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CITY

Lynden

Washington · 16,881 residents (2025 est.) · 5.44 sq mi
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The short version

With 16,234 people, Lynden is a city in Washington. Since 2000 the city has risen by half, up 7,214 people. That puts it in the top 7% of US cities for household income. Home values have more than tripled since 2000, reaching $596,600. The median age is 35.2, younger than the US median of 38.9. There are 2,987 people per square mile.

At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $103,233, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.2
US median: 38.9
Average education
33% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 110%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Lynden

What changed most since 1990

  • Population5,709 → 16,234 (+184%)US over the same years: +35%
  • Median home value (2024 dollars)$210,246 → $596,600 (+184%)US over the same years: +67%
  • Median household income (2024 dollars)$70,929 → $103,233 (+46%)US over the same years: +14%

Among the 19 cities and towns in the Bellingham metro

  • 2nd in household income$103,233
  • 10th in share with a bachelor's degree33.1%
  • 4th in home value$596,600
  • 10th in diversity score47.5

Its weight in Whatcom County

Lynden's population equals 7.0% of Whatcom County's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 4.0% of the county's.

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
16,234
+80%since 2000
from 9,020 in 2000
16,881 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
2,987 / sq mi
+80%since 2000
from 1,660 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
35.2
−5%since 2000
from 36.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
5.44 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K8K11K14K17K19902000201020202024Lynden
202416K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 58.2%(1,331)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.9%(1,128)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.6%(1,076)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.6%(907)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246%(971)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3416.3%(2,643)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.5%(2,037)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 548.5%(1,378)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.2%(1,816)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.7%(1,578)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.3%(865)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over3.1%(504)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$103,233
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,767 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$46,608
+126%since 2000
from $20,639 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
64.6%
+41.0 ptssince 2009
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
7.3%
+1.1 ptssince 2000
from 6.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.412
+2%since 2010
from 0.405 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade11.9%
US avg: 9.9%
Information9.3%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.3%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services5.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration5.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing5.3%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction5.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance3.4%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3.4%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing1.1%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
Education & health services0%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$596,600
+110%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $155,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,707
+36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $688 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
66.2%
−1.0 ptssince 2000
from 67.2% in 2000
33.8% rent
Vacancy rate
3.1%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.67 people
+2%since 2009
from 2.63 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
19.4%
−17.2 ptssince 2009
from 36.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
48.6%
−6.8 ptssince 2009
from 55.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
5.8
+2%since 2009
from 5.7 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
81
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic91.2%(8,222)
Black0.3%(24)
Hispanic / Latino4.7%(427)
Asian2.3%(204)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic77.2%(12,533)
Black0.3%(55)
Hispanic / Latino13.9%(2,262)
Asian2.3%(381)
Other6.2%(1,003)
Diversity Score
48
+70%since 2009
from 28 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican10.4%(1,683)
Venezuelan1.2%(190)
Puerto Rican0.4%(68)
Salvadoran0.2%(28)
Asian origin
Asian Indian1.2%(189)
Chinese0.8%(124)
Japanese0.2%(28)
Filipino0.2%(26)
Korean0%(6)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German17.5%(2,842)
Dutch15.8%(2,569)
English12.1%(1,958)
Irish7.3%(1,185)
American4.7%(761)
Norwegian4.5%(723)
Swedish4%(654)
Scottish4%(647)
Italian3.5%(564)
French1.8%(293)
Polish1.6%(265)
Welsh1.2%(191)
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data
Canadian0.8%(137)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(137)
British0.6%(98)
Swiss0.5%(80)
Danish0.4%(72)
Ukrainian0.4%(61)
Czech0.3%(49)
Latvian0.3%(47)
Russian0.2%(30)
Greek0.1%(17)
Finnish0%(6)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
33.1%
+6.1 ptssince 2000
from 26.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
95.3%
+9.7 ptssince 2000
from 85.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.7%
+0.1 ptssince 2000
from 8.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.0 min
+55%since 2000
from 13.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
75.9%
−4.7 ptssince 2009
from 80.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
6.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.4%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
13.2%
+8.5 ptssince 2009
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.8%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.5%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.7%
−2.3 ptssince 2009
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.6%
−2.3 ptssince 2011
from 5.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
66.6%
+7.2 ptssince 2011
from 59.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
78.9%
+6.5 ptssince 2020
from 72.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
9.3%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
34.9%
+10.5 ptssince 2009
from 24.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.5%
+2.0 ptssince 2009
from 45.5% in 2009
Female
52.5%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 54.5% in 2009
Foreign born
10.5%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.4%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
13.4%
+1.2 ptssince 2012
from 12.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
6.8%
−4.1 ptssince 2013
from 10.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
94.4%
+14.2 ptssince 2017
from 80.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.0%
+6.7 ptssince 2020
from 89.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
86.0%
−1.9 ptssince 2020
from 87.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
88.2%
−1.9 ptssince 2016
from 90.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
7.8%
+2.3 ptssince 2016
from 5.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married28.1%(1,690)
Married62.7%(3,771)
Widowed2.7%(165)
Divorced6.5%(393)
Women 15+
Never married22.7%(1,517)
Married55.8%(3,728)
Widowed8.8%(586)
Divorced12.7%(849)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
6.8%
−4.1 ptssince 2013
from 10.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
56.8%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 56.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.7%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 15.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
17.9%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 19.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
18.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 18.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 2.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
73.4%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 74.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
34.0%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 35.5% 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)8.8%(90)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)37.1%(381)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39.4%(405)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.5%(57)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.6%(6)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,028 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
Over time

Lynden, decade by decade

Lynden population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
19905,709$70,929$210,24614.6%10.6
20009,020$77,907$283,45026.9%20.8
201011,951$74,489$413,58923.0%31.7
202015,749$85,216$439,24325.2%46.1
202416,234$103,233$596,60033.1%47.5

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

Drill deeper

Places similar to Lynden

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Pop 16,867
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Pop 16,421
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Pop 17,948
Safety Harbor
Pop 16,624
Places similar to Lynden
Head to head

Compare Lynden to nearby cities

LYNDEN VS
Ferndale
Income$87,579−15%
Home value$549,300−8%
Population17,559+4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LYNDEN VS
Birch Bay
Income$86,854−16%
Home value$477,200−20%
Population10,837−36%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LYNDEN VS
Bellingham
Income$66,755−35%
Home value$627,500+5%
Population96,395+471%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LYNDEN VS
Sedro-Woolley
Income$80,885−22%
Home value$441,700−26%
Population13,308−21%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Lynden, Washington?

Lynden, Washington has about 16,234 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Lynden, Washington?

The typical household in Lynden, Washington earns about $103,233 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Lynden, Washington expensive?

In Lynden, Washington, the median home is worth about $596,600, and the typical rent is about $1,707 a month.

How educated are people in Lynden, Washington?

About 33.1% of adults age 25 and over in Lynden, Washington hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Lynden, Washington?

About 7.3% of people in Lynden, Washington live below the federal poverty line.

Has Lynden, Washington grown since 1990?

Yes, Lynden, Washington has grown since 1990. The population has added about 10,525 residents, a change of about 184 percent over that period.

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

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