What is the largest city in Whatcom County, WA?

Bellingham is the largest city or town in Whatcom County, with about 93,438 residents.

How many ZIP codes are in Whatcom County?

Whatcom County includes 16 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 98220, 98225, 98226, 98229, 98230.

What is the population of Whatcom County, WA?

About 230,503 people live in Whatcom County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

What counties border Whatcom County?

Whatcom County borders Skagit County, Okanogan County.

Whatcom County, WA: Cities, ZIP Codes & Local Data

Population

230,503

Land area

2,108sq mi

People per sq mi

109

ZIP codes

16

Whatcom County at a glance

By population, it ranks 9th among 39 counties in Washington.
The median household income is $81,784, 17% below the Washington median of $98,141.
A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $585,800 (4% above Washington) and median rent is $1,555 a month.
Its largest cities are Bellingham (93,438), Lynden (16,234) and Ferndale (15,999).

Local data for Whatcom County, WA

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Whatcom County, WA, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$81,784

Poverty rate

12.9%

Median home value

$585,800

Prices +2.1% in a year

Median rent

$1,555/mo

Homeownership

63.7%

Bachelor's or higher

39.3%

Median age

38.4

Average commute

21.6 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (35,735), Irish Americans (23,089), Mexican Americans (16,974).

Home values and rents Income, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, income, federal spending and pandemic loans

Details

Unemployment rate

4.5%

Aug 2026, 0.0 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$69,434

93,720 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$65,622

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$1.6B

FY 2026, $7,063 per person

PPP loans

$620M

7,079 loans, 69,971 jobs reported

Campaign donations

$1.8M

Itemized, 2026 cycle

Economy Federal spending PPP loans

How people get to work

Whatcom County, WA, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

Drove alone69.2%
Carpooled7.5%
Public transit1.8%
Walked3.9%
Bicycle1.8%
Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other1.1%
Worked from home14.8%

Average one-way commute: 21.6 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Whatcom County, WA, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Moderate

Top: avalanche

Storm events since 1996

21

Most often heavy rain

Flood insurance policies

1,497

1.9% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

74° / 29°F

98.2 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm history Check a flood zone 57 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Whatcom County, WA, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

26.5%

U.S. 33.3% -6.8 pts

Diabetes

8.8%

U.S. 12.1% -3.3 pts

Smoking

10.8%

U.S. 12.8% -2.0 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

7.8%

U.S. 11.1% -3.3 pts

Cities, towns and ZIP codes in Whatcom County

Population shown

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Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Whatcom County, WA?: Bellingham is the largest city or town in Whatcom County, with about 93,438 residents.
How many ZIP codes are in Whatcom County?: Whatcom County includes 16 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 98220, 98225, 98226, 98229, 98230.
What is the population of Whatcom County, WA?: About 230,503 people live in Whatcom County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What counties border Whatcom County?: Whatcom County borders Skagit County, Okanogan County.