Whatcom County, Washington
Among the top 13% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 11% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 87% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 42% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 81% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 65% of US counties
- top 7% for broadband access
- top 9% for income tax
- bottom 2% for property crime
Whatcom County is a county in Washington with about 227,000 residents. It grades A for weather and D for affordability. Standout strengths include broadband access, income tax, and comfortable days. It rates lower on monthly rent and property crime.
Official websiteco.whatcom.wa.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Mild summers · Cool winters · Wet · Light snow
cold
cool
comfortable
cool
cold
71%37%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.8 in1.8 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$78k85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$55kbetter than 11% of US counties
Home Value$475k97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 7% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 7% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.74%better than 59% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax9.38%better than 8% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden7.64%better than 80% of US counties
Unemployment4.9%better than 47% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)63°F2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation51.2 in76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall10.2 inbetter than 53% of US counties
Sunny Days198 daysbetter than 15% of US counties
Summer Humidity54°Fbetter than 87% of US counties
Comfortable Days98 daysbetter than 90% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk91.0better than 9% of US counties
Air Quality31 AQIbetter than 89% of US counties
School Quality94.0better than 89% of US counties
Violent Crime919/100kbetter than 40% of US counties
Property Crime3602/100kbetter than 2% of US counties
Community
Population226,52390th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age37.820th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3560th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9941st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+257th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)76.8%43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.9%34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)10.1%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)4.4%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)7.8%91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 69% of US counties
Walkability7.3/20better than 80% of US counties
Airport Distance97 mibetter than 51% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.4%better than 93% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 72% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Whatcom County an affordable place to live?
- Whatcom County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $55k, better than 11% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Whatcom County?
- The median home value in Whatcom County is $475k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Whatcom County?
- Median household income in Whatcom County is $78k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Whatcom County?
- Median gross rent in Whatcom County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Whatcom County safe?
- Whatcom County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 919/100k (better than 40%). Property crime is 3602/100k.
- What is the weather like in Whatcom County?
- Whatcom County averages 63°F in July and 41°F in January, with 51.2 in of annual precipitation and about 198 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Whatcom County?
- Public-school quality in Whatcom County is above average, scoring better than 89% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Whatcom County?
- The average one-way commute in Whatcom County is 22 min.
Other counties in Washington
Explore Washington
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)