What it's like to live in Bellingham
Bellingham is a smaller city in Washington with commutes that run shorter than most cities, air quality that stays clean most of the year, a highly educated workforce, and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bellingham deals with home prices well above the national average, household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- High home prices
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
How Bellingham compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bellingham
Based on Bellingham's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,154
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $63,080 a year
- 63% of Bellingham renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$125,500
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $62,750
- Homes cost 9.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 12% above US
$1,577/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,577 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are steep, with a median around $627,500. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $627,500 · 63% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.1%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 20% below US
263 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 3276/100k · Bellingham Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 30% below US
18 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 18.1 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 15% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 73°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 35°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 35% above US
49% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 49% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
26 public schools inside the boundary
There are 26 public schools inside the boundary and 11 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is San Juan Island National Historical Park (32 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bellingham's strongest points are commutes that run shorter than most cities and air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,577/mo) equals 28% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people who want short commutes and college-educated professionals.
Other places near Bellingham
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