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Bellingham vs Everett

Bellingham, Washington versus Everett, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Bellingham

Solid · objective livability54/100

Everett

Mixed · objective livability48/100

Bellingham edges out Everett on overall objective livability (54 vs 48 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorBellinghamEverett
Affordability
Median Household Income$64k$78k
Cost of Living$53k$71k
Home Value$529k$471k
Monthly Rent$1k$2k
Monthly Owner Costs$2k$2k
Property Tax Rate0.71%0.84%
Income Tax0.00%0.00%
Sales Tax9.38%9.38%
Estimated total tax burden8.96%8.17%
Unemployment4.8%5.8%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F42°F
Summer Temp (Jul)63°F65°F
Annual Precipitation38.2 in40.3 in
Annual Snowfall3.4 in3.0 in
Sunny Days198 days217 days
Summer Humidity54°F53°F
Comfortable Days100 days106 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk71.655.3
Air Quality25 AQI31 AQI
School Quality91.571.0
Violent Crime1194/100k1262/100k
Property Crime6528/100k4372/100k
Community
Population91,353110,847
Median Age33.736.4
Racial Diversity0.340.56
Male/Female Ratio0.931.07
Political LeaningD+52D+21
White (%)76.8%59.0%
Black (%)1.3%6.4%
Hispanic (%)10.0%16.9%
Asian (%)5.7%9.9%
Other / Multiracial (%)6.3%7.9%
Getting Around
Commute Time19 min27 min
Walkability10.2/205.6/20
Airport Distance90 mi37 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.9%90.1%
Amenities Nearby45.2111.82
Park & Nature AccessExcellentModerate

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 Everett more affordable?
Bellingham has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Bellingham's $53k and Everett's $71k. Median rent is $1k in Bellingham versus $2k in Everett.
Is Bellingham or Everett safer?
Bellingham has the lower violent crime rate. Bellingham reports 1194/100k and Everett reports 1262/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Bellingham or Everett?
The median home value is $529k in Bellingham and $471k in Everett, so homes are more affordable in Everett.
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