Bellingham, WA Metro Area

Metro Area

Population: 228,432 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Bellingham, WA Metro Area

What is the median household income in Bellingham, WA Metro Area?: The median household income in Bellingham, WA Metro Area is $80,989 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Bellingham, WA Metro Area?: The poverty rate in Bellingham, WA Metro Area is 6.9% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Bellingham, WA Metro Area?: $536,100 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Bellingham, WA Metro Area?: The median gross rent in Bellingham, WA Metro Area is $1,465 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Bellingham, WA Metro Area residents have a college degree?: 38.1% of adults in Bellingham, WA Metro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

228,432

Median Income

$80,989

Median Home Value

$536,100

Poverty Rate

6.9%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

5.1%

Median Age

38.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$18,005 (+28.6%) Home Value: +$190,400 (+55.1%) Poverty Rate: +0.2 pp (+3%) Bachelor's+: +3.8 pp (+11.1%) Unemployment: -0.6 pp (-10.5%)

Demographics

Total Population 228,432

Median Age 38.0

Female 50.4%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 10.4% White (non-Hisp.) 76.1% Black 0.9% Asian 4.3% Two or More 9.4% Other 4.5%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Indian

1.1%

Chinese

1.1%

Filipino

0.7%

Vietnamese

0.4%

Korean

0.3%

Japanese

0.1%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

7.1%

Puerto Rican

0.4%

Cuban

0.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $80,989 ±$2,462

Per Capita Income $104,431

Median Family Income $102,596

Poverty Rate 6.9%

Child Poverty Rate 10.2%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 11.4%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 25.1%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

4.3%

$10–15k

3.7%

$15–25k

5.9%

$25–35k

5.7%

$35–50k

10.6%

$50–75k

16.8%

$75–100k

13.4%

$100–150k

19.8%

$150–200k

9.1%

$200k+

10.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 101,928

Owner-Occupied 63.5%

Renter-Occupied 36.5%

Vacancy Rate 9.3%

Median Home Value $536,100

Median Gross Rent $1,465

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 25.9%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 49.3%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

2.8%

$50–100k

2.1%

$100–200k

1.6%

$200–300k

8.0%

$300–500k

29.3%

$500k–$1M

46.5%

$1M+

8.3%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

4.2%

$500–1k

12.9%

$1–1.5k

35.7%

$1.5–2k

27.7%

$2–2.5k

10.1%

$2.5–3.5k

4.6%

$3.5k+

4.7%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

6.4%

1 vehicle

29.0%

2 vehicles

35.9%

28.7%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

63.3%

Single-fam. att.

3.0%

2–4 units

2.6%

5–19 units

4.4%

20+ units

10.1%

Mobile home

6.2%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

11.1%

1940–1969

2.2%

1970–1999

17.1%

2000–2009

17.5%

2010+

11.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 93.8%

Bachelor's or Higher 38.1%

Graduate Degree 14.6%

Some College / Associate 23.6%

Less Than High School 2.2%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 63.0%

Unemployment Rate 5.1%

Work from Home 13.3%

Self-Employed 7.5%

Government Workers 15.7%

Private For-Profit 76.6%

Industry

Edu/Health

23.6%

Prof. Services

10.6%

Arts/Entmt.

10.3%

Manufacturing

10.1%

Retail

9.7%

Construction

8.2%

Finance

5.2%

Public Admin

5.2%

Transportation

4.3%

Agriculture

3.2%

Wholesale

2.1%

Information

1.6%

Occupation

Management

41.4%

Sales

18.3%

Food Prep

18.3%

Production

12.4%

Construction

9.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 22.1 min

Drove Alone 70.2%

Carpool 8.1%

Public Transit 1.9%

Work from Home 13.3%

Walked 3.4%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 92,411

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 48.1%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 17.8%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

4.7%

5–9

5.5%

10–14

5.4%

15–19

6.4%

20–24

9.9%

25–34

13.8%

35–44

12.7%

45–54

11.2%

55–64

5.5%

65–74

6.3%

75–84

11.4%

85+

5.3%

Under 18: 18.9% Working age (18–64): 81.1% 65 and over: 18.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 9.9%

Naturalized Citizen 55.2%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 3.8%

Foreign-Born Origin

Asia

33.2%

Latin America

23.6%

Europe

16.0%

Africa

1.9%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 6.8%

With a Disability 13.6%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 94.4%

Uninsured 5.6%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 92.9%

Has a Computer 97.1%

Same House 1 Year Ago 83.9%

Moved from Abroad 0.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023