Bellingham vs Custer
Bellingham, Washington versus Custer, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Custer edges out Bellingham on overall objective livability (62 vs 54 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bellingham | Custer |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $64k | $93k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $53k |
| Home Value | $529k | $427k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | — |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $18k | $111 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.71% | 0.95% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.96% | 7.46% |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 16.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 41°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 63°F | 63°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.2 in | 42.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.4 in | 9.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 198 days | 198 days |
| Summer Humidity | 54°F | 54°F |
| Comfortable Days | 100 days | 100 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 71.6 | 56.9 |
| Air Quality | 25 AQI | 15 AQI |
| School Quality | 91.5 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1194/100k | 294/100k |
| Property Crime | 6528/100k | 650/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 91,353 | 301 |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 34.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.34 | 0.00 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.87 |
| Political Leaning | D+52 | D+52 |
| White (%) | 76.8% | 98.7% |
| Black (%) | 1.3% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 10.0% | 1.3% |
| Asian (%) | 5.7% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.3% | 0.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | — |
| Walkability | 10.2/20 | 7.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 90 mi | 102 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.9% | 96.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 45.21 | 1428.57 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bellingham or Custer more affordable?
- Custer has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Bellingham's $53k and Custer's $53k.
- Is Bellingham or Custer safer?
- Custer has the lower violent crime rate. Bellingham reports 1194/100k and Custer reports 294/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bellingham or Custer?
- The median home value is $529k in Bellingham and $427k in Custer, so homes are more affordable in Custer.