© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Birch Bay.
Birch Bay is an unincorporated community in Whatcom County, WA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Birch Bay
Birch Bay is a community of 11,103 people in Washington. The median household income is $86,854, and median home values are around $477,200. The unemployment rate is 4.4%.
Birch Bay at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
44.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.4%
Foreign-Born
9.9%
Broadband Internet
88.9%
of households
Median household income
Demographics9.9% foreign-born, most often from Canada
Who lives in Birch Bay: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Birch Bay, the largest foreign-born group is from Canada (47.1%), and 4.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.1%
of residents
65 and Older
24.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
31.3%
of households
Married Couples
49.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.32
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Living
Rent, home values, and income in Birch Bay
In Birch Bay, home values are 15% below the WA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
57.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
30.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,110
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
82.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1990
median year built
Vacant Homes
22.0%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for WA
Unemployment in Birch Bay
Unemployment in Whatcom County, which includes Birch Bay, is close to the WA average.
Unemployment rate
Birch Bay: Whatcom County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Whatcom County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Birch Bay is about 5% of Whatcom County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Birch Bay Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute26.4 min avg
How Birch Bay residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Birch Bay, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 58% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 mi
Bellingham International Airport (BLI)
Regional airport · few flights226k passengers boarded in 2025
- 103 mi
Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Major hub25.4M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 64% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office, which covers Birch Bay, runs 64% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
117.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
471.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Whatcom County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersHeavy Rain most common — 1 event in 2024
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
91.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Whatcom County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Whatcom County, which includes Birch Bay, the most common type is heavy rain, with 1 recorded event in 2024.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | Heavy Rain | Not estimated |
| 2023 | 2 | Heavy Rain | Not estimated |
| 2021 | 3 | Flood | $42.6M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
19 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Whatcom County, county-wide
Birch Bay is about 5% of Whatcom County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality31 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Whatcom County, which includes Birch Bay, is typically good — 342 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
31
Good Days
342
per year
Moderate Days
21
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Whatcom County, county-wide
Birch Bay is about 5% of Whatcom County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate71°F summers, 34°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Birch Bay has mild summers (avg high 71°F) and mild winters (avg low 34°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/42°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
71°/54°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
58°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
46°/34°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
41.8"
Annual Snowfall
9.3"
Hot Days/Year
0
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
52
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
162
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 34°F | 6.17" |
| Feb | 48°F | 35°F | 3.37" |
| Mar | 52°F | 38°F | 4.21" |
| Apr | 58°F | 42°F | 2.97" |
| May | 64°F | 47°F | 2.57" |
| Jun | 69°F | 52°F | 1.93" |
| Jul | 73°F | 55°F | 1.14" |
| Aug | 73°F | 55°F | 1.13" |
| Sep | 67°F | 50°F | 2.22" |
| Oct | 57°F | 44°F | 4.39" |
| Nov | 50°F | 38°F | 6.08" |
| Dec | 44°F | 34°F | 5.63" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Birch Bay
Uninsured
4.8%
of residents
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Education32.0% college degree rate
Schools and degree attainment in Birch Bay
Public Schools
0
none inside city limits; students attend nearby district schools
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
32.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Birch Bay (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 2,378 students · in-state tuition $5,460 · 50% graduate · median earnings $48,317 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: San Juan Island National Historical Park, 32 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Birch Bay
Birch Bay has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being San Juan Island National Historical Park (32 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
San Juan Island National Historical Park
National Historical Park
32 mi awayEbey's Landing National Historical Reserve
National Historical Reserve
49 mi awayNorth Cascades National Park
National Park
71 mi awayOlympic National Park
National Park
88 mi awayKlondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park
National Historical Park
93 mi awayWing Luke Museum Affiliated Area
Affiliated Area
93 mi awayPublic Libraries in Birch Bay
Birch Bay Vogt Community Library
7968 Birch Bay Drive, Blaine
Cities Near Birch Bay
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Birch Bay?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Birch Bay FAQ
Is Birch Bay, Washington safe?⌄
Birch Bay is policed by the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 117 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 472 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Birch Bay, Washington?⌄
Whatcom County, which includes Birch Bay, has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
How is the commute in Birch Bay, Washington?⌄
The average commute in Birch Bay is 26 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from