Bellingham, Washington
Among the top 12% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 21% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 88% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 46% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 88% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 74% of US places
- top 6% for air quality
- top 8% for income tax
- bottom 1% for property crime
Bellingham is a mid-size city in Washington with about 91,000 residents. It grades A for weather and D for affordability. Standout strengths include air quality, income tax, and commute time. It rates lower on sales tax and property crime.
Official websitecob.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Mild summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
cold
cool
comfortable
cool
cold
72%38%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in1.3 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$64k53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$53kbetter than 23% of US places
Home Value$529k91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 19% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 19% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.71%better than 71% of US places
Income Tax0.00%better than 92% of US places
Sales Tax9.38%better than 6% of US places
Estimated total tax burden8.96%better than 64% of US places
Unemployment4.8%better than 41% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)63°F2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation38.2 in38th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall3.4 inbetter than 71% of US places
Sunny Days198 daysbetter than 20% of US places
Summer Humidity54°Fbetter than 85% of US places
Comfortable Days100 daysbetter than 87% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk71.6better than 41% of US places
Air Quality25 AQIbetter than 94% of US places
School Quality91.5better than 82% of US places
Violent Crime1194/100kbetter than 27% of US places
Property Crime6528/100kbetter than 1% of US places
Community
Population91,35399th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age33.718th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3467th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9339th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+523rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)76.8%37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.3%60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)10.0%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)5.7%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.3%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time19 minbetter than 90% of US places
Walkability10.2/20better than 87% of US places
Airport Distance90 mibetter than 42% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.9%better than 72% of US places
Amenities Nearby45.21better than 37% of US places
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 80% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bellingham an affordable place to live?
- Bellingham is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $53k, better than 23% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Bellingham?
- The median home value in Bellingham is $529k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Bellingham?
- Median household income in Bellingham is $64k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Bellingham?
- Median gross rent in Bellingham is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Bellingham safe?
- Bellingham is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1194/100k (better than 27%). Property crime is 6528/100k.
- What is the weather like in Bellingham?
- Bellingham averages 63°F in July and 41°F in January, with 38.2 in of annual precipitation and about 198 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Bellingham?
- Public-school quality in Bellingham is above average, scoring better than 82% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Bellingham?
- The average one-way commute in Bellingham is 19 min.
Places near Bellingham
Compare Bellingham
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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)