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METRO AREA · 2020 ACS

Bellingham Metro

Bellingham, WA · 1 counties · 226,847 residents · 2,108 sq mi
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The short version

With 226,847 people, Bellingham is a metro area. Growth has run 36% since 2000, or 60,033 more people. The typical home is worth $369,000, having more than doubled since 2000. People stay put here: 81% were in the same home a year ago. About 35% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Households earn $65,420 at the median, near the US median.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 38.2
US median: 38.8
Average education
35% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 64%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
226,847
+36%since 2000
from 166,814 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
108 / sq mi
+36%since 2000
from 79 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
38.2
+12%since 2000
from 34.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
2,108 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
118K148K179K210K241K19902000201020202024Bellingham
2024231K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55%(11,361)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.6%(12,723)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.7%(12,920)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.9%(15,576)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 249.1%(20,702)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.5%(30,661)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412.3%(27,835)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5411%(24,938)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6412.3%(27,980)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7411.5%(26,085)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.2%(11,824)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.9%(4,242)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$65,420
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,005 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$33,241
+66%since 2000
from $20,025 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
43.8%
+14.9 ptssince 2009
from 28.9% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
13.9%
−0.3 ptssince 2000
from 14.2% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information11.6%
US avg: 11.1%
Retail trade11.2%
US avg: 10%
Wholesale trade8.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services4.8%
US avg: 6.6%
Finance & insurance3.9%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical3.5%
US avg: 4.7%
Public administration2.8%
US avg: 4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.7%
US avg: 1.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.7%
US avg: 2.5%
Construction2.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.8%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.4%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$369,000
+64%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $149,500 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,119
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $622 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
61.7%
−1.7 ptssince 2000
from 63.4% in 2000
38.3% rent
Persons per household
2.47 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.48 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
5.6
−7%since 2009
from 6.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic86.2%(143,842)
Black0.6%(1,065)
Hispanic / Latino5.2%(8,687)
Asian2.8%(4,598)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic75.1%(170,385)
Black1%(2,221)
Hispanic / Latino10.1%(22,825)
Asian4.4%(9,952)
Other7.3%(16,509)
Segregation Score
23
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican7.2%(16,225)
Puerto Rican0.5%(1,192)
Spaniard0.4%(930)
Cuban0.2%(385)
Salvadoran0.2%(346)
Guatemalan0.1%(244)
Costa Rican0.1%(229)
Colombian0.1%(197)
Venezuelan0.1%(185)
Dominican0.1%(164)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Peruvian0.1%(162)
Honduran0%(104)
Chilean0%(103)
Argentine0%(95)
Bolivian0%(46)
Uruguayan0%(16)
Asian origin
Chinese1%(2,236)
Asian Indian0.7%(1,601)
Filipino0.6%(1,302)
Vietnamese0.5%(1,174)
Japanese0.4%(839)
Korean0.3%(664)
Thai0.1%(280)
Taiwanese0.1%(167)
Pakistani0.1%(130)
Malaysian0%(89)
Laotian0%(34)
Hmong0%(20)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.2%(534)
Samoan0.1%(279)
Fijian0%(66)
Tongan0%(28)
Ancestry
German15.8%(35,505)
English11.4%(25,589)
Irish9.3%(20,986)
Dutch5.7%(12,815)
Norwegian5.4%(12,222)
Scottish3.4%(7,635)
Swedish3.4%(7,624)
Italian3.2%(7,078)
American3.1%(6,868)
French2.8%(6,221)
Polish2%(4,446)
British1.4%(3,144)
+ 44 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish1.3%(3,004)
Russian1.3%(2,920)
Danish1%(2,193)
Canadian1%(2,134)
Welsh0.9%(2,034)
French Canadian0.8%(1,886)
Hungarian0.6%(1,276)
Finnish0.5%(1,186)
Ukrainian0.5%(1,172)
Austrian0.4%(927)
Greek0.4%(900)
Swiss0.4%(880)
Czech0.4%(864)
Portuguese0.4%(820)
Croatian0.2%(396)
Lithuanian0.2%(378)
Iranian0.1%(326)
West Indian0.1%(321)
Somali0.1%(194)
Australian0.1%(189)
Bulgarian0.1%(179)
Lebanese0.1%(167)
Belgian0.1%(162)
Egyptian0.1%(159)
Jamaican0.1%(154)
Armenian0.1%(132)
Slovak0.1%(132)
Romanian0.1%(116)
Latvian0%(105)
Serbian0%(89)
Slovene0%(75)
Ethiopian0%(53)
Ghanaian0%(45)
Haitian0%(40)
Israeli0%(31)
Syrian0%(30)
Moroccan0%(29)
Arab0%(24)
Brazilian0%(23)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
35.3%
+8.1 ptssince 2000
from 27.2% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
92.7%
+5.2 ptssince 2000
from 87.5% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
13.1%
+4.2 ptssince 2000
from 8.9% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.2 min
+64%since 2000
from 13.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
75.6%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 72.4% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
7.3%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.2%
−3.5 ptssince 2011
from 8.7% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
62.4%
−3.2 ptssince 2011
from 65.5% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.7%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
37.0%
+5.8 ptssince 2009
from 31.2% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 49.4% in 2009
Female
50.6%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 50.6% in 2009
Foreign born
10.0%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
5.9%
−7.7 ptssince 2013
from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
94.6%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
80.7%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married38.5%(37,060)
Married50.5%(48,592)
Widowed2%(1,950)
Divorced8.9%(8,540)
Women 15+
Never married32.3%(32,074)
Married48.6%(48,186)
Widowed6.9%(6,885)
Divorced12.2%(12,067)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.9%
−7.7 ptssince 2013
from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
55.6%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
16.5%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
18.8%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
20.5%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.1%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
70.7%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
37.1%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)18.8%(2,520)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)21.4%(2,866)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era41.6%(5,569)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War4.9%(656)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.4%(318)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 13,386 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
In this metro

Largest cities

BellinghamCENTRAL96,395Ferndale17,559Lynden16,881Birch Bay10,837Blaine6,475Sudden Valley6,084Marietta-Alderwood3,754Everson3,254Peaceful Valley2,858Geneva2,073Nooksack1,833Sumas1,672Point Roberts1,288Kendall657Deming568Custer477Glacier339Acme223Maple Falls209
What's inside

1 component county

Whatcom CountyCENTRAL236,392
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Bellingham

Gainesville
Pop 226,568
Hilton Head Island
Pop 242,966
Lebanon
Pop 224,500
St. George
Pop 213,670
Places similar to Bellingham
Head to head

Compare Bellingham side by side

BELLINGHAM VS
Gainesville
Income$80,901+24%
Home value$350,400−5%
Population226,568−4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BELLINGHAM VS
Hilton Head Island
Income$83,609+28%
Home value$437,202+18%
Population242,966+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BELLINGHAM VS
Lebanon
Income$83,244+27%
Home value$307,461−17%
Population224,500−5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BELLINGHAM VS
St. George
Income$80,632+23%
Home value$510,700+38%
Population213,670−10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Bellingham, WA?

Bellingham, WA has about 226,847 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Bellingham, WA?

The typical household in Bellingham, WA earns about $65,420 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Bellingham, WA expensive?

In Bellingham, WA, the median home is worth about $369,000, and the typical rent is about $1,119 a month.

How educated are people in Bellingham, WA?

About 35.3% of adults age 25 and over in Bellingham, WA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Bellingham, WA?

About 13.9% of people in Bellingham, WA live below the federal poverty line.

Has Bellingham, WA grown since 1990?

Yes, Bellingham, WA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 99,067 residents, a change of about 78 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →