Moving to Bellingham, Washington

About Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham

Bellingham ( BEL-ing-ham) is the county seat of Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It lies 21 miles (34 km) south of the U.S.–Canada border, between Vancouver, British Columbia, 52 miles (84 km) to the northwest and Seattle 90 miles (140 km) to the south.

The population was 91,482 at the 2020 census, and estimated to be 94,720 in 2023. It is the site of Western Washington University, Bellingham International Airport, and the southern terminus of the Alaska Marine Highway. Bellingham is the northernmost city with a population of more than 90,000 people in the contiguous United States.

The area around Bellingham Bay, named in 1792 by George Vancouver, is the ancestral home of several Coast Salish groups. European settlement in modern-day Bellingham began in the 1850s and several coal mining towns grew in later years. The city of Bellingham was incorporated in 1903 through the consolidation of several settlements, among them Fairhaven. Local industries shifted away from coal in the mid-20th century; the industrial areas on the Bellingham waterfront have undergone redevelopment into a mixed-use neighborhood since the 2000s.

Gender
Gender Bellingham Washington Country
Female 51.6% 50% 50.8%
Male 48.4% 50% 49.2%
Gender

Household Income


Income Bellingham Washington Country
Less than $10,000 9% 4.4% 5.8%
$10,000 to $14,999 5.5% 3.1% 4.1%
$15,000 to $24,999 9.3% 6.5% 8.5%
$25,000 to $34,999 8.6% 6.9% 8.6%
$35,000 to $49,999 12.3% 10.8% 12.0%
$50,000 to $74,999 17.7% 17.1% 17.2%
$75,000 to $99,999 13.6% 13.6% 12.8%
$100,000 to $149,999 13.1% 18.2% 15.6%
$150,000 to $199,999 6.5% 8.9% 7.1%
$200,000 or more 4.4% 10.5% 8.3%
Education


Education Bellingham Washington Country
< 9th Grade 2% 3% 5.0%
9-12th Grade 4% 5% 7.0%
High School or GED 17% 22% 27.0%
Other College 21% 23% 20.0%
Associate's Degree 11% 10% 9%
Bachelor's Degree 27% 23% 20.0%
Master's Degree 13% 10% 9.0%
Professional Degree 2% 2% 2.0%
Doctorate Degree 3% 2% 1.0%
Household Income
Education
Race / Ethnicity


Ethnicity Bellingham Washington Country
White 77.4% 67.5% 60.1%
African American 1.6% 3.7% 12.2%
American Indian 0.8% 1% 0.6%
Asian 5.9% 8.7% 5.6%
Hawaiian 0.1% 0.7% 0.2%
Other 0.1% 0.3% 0.3%
Multiracial 4.5% 5.2% 2.8%
Hispanic 9.6% 12.9% 18.2%
Race / Ethnicity