Bellingham vs Roche Harbor
Bellingham, Washington versus Roche Harbor, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Roche Harbor 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 | Roche Harbor |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $64k | $85k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $53k |
| Home Value | $529k | $858k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $18k | $317 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.71% | 0.58% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.96% | 9.00% |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 0.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 41°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 63°F | 62°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.2 in | 28.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.4 in | 5.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 198 days | 198 days |
| Summer Humidity | 54°F | 54°F |
| Comfortable Days | 100 days | 99 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 71.6 | 64.5 |
| Air Quality | 25 AQI | 17 AQI |
| School Quality | 91.5 | 70.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1194/100k | 294/100k |
| Property Crime | 6528/100k | 650/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 91,353 | 753 |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 62.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.34 | 0.13 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+52 | D+52 |
| White (%) | 76.8% | 92.2% |
| Black (%) | 1.3% | 0.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 10.0% | 2.7% |
| Asian (%) | 5.7% | 0.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.3% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 10.2/20 | 8.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 90 mi | 89 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.9% | 96.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 45.21 | 132.80 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Good |
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 Roche Harbor more affordable?
- Roche Harbor has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Bellingham's $53k and Roche Harbor's $53k. Median rent is $1k in Bellingham versus $2k in Roche Harbor.
- Is Bellingham or Roche Harbor safer?
- Roche Harbor has the lower violent crime rate. Bellingham reports 1194/100k and Roche Harbor reports 294/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bellingham or Roche Harbor?
- The median home value is $529k in Bellingham and $858k in Roche Harbor, so homes are more affordable in Bellingham.