Bellingham vs Point Roberts
Bellingham, Washington versus Point Roberts, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Point Roberts 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 | Point Roberts |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $64k | $74k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $53k |
| Home Value | $529k | $375k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $18k | $572 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.71% | 0.67% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.96% | 6.49% |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 2.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 41°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 63°F | 62°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.2 in | 41.8 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 | 42.2 |
| Air Quality | 25 AQI | 15 AQI |
| School Quality | 91.5 | 71.2 |
| Violent Crime | 1194/100k | 294/100k |
| Property Crime | 6528/100k | 650/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 91,353 | 1,249 |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 56.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.34 | 0.14 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+52 | D+52 |
| White (%) | 76.8% | 85.7% |
| Black (%) | 1.3% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 10.0% | 8.8% |
| Asian (%) | 5.7% | 2.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.3% | 2.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | — |
| Walkability | 10.2/20 | 7.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 90 mi | 112 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.9% | 98.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 45.21 | 880.70 |
| 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 Point Roberts more affordable?
- Point Roberts has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Bellingham's $53k and Point Roberts's $53k. Median rent is $1k in Bellingham versus $1k in Point Roberts.
- Is Bellingham or Point Roberts safer?
- Point Roberts has the lower violent crime rate. Bellingham reports 1194/100k and Point Roberts reports 294/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bellingham or Point Roberts?
- The median home value is $529k in Bellingham and $375k in Point Roberts, so homes are more affordable in Point Roberts.