Whatcom County, Washington Demographics 2026

Name: Whatcom County, Washington Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Whatcom County, Washington has a population of 230,503, the 9th most populous county in Washington. The median household income is $81,784 and the median home value is $585,800. The poverty rate is 12.9%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Whatcom County Quick Facts

Population 230,503

Median Household Income $81,784

Median Home Value $585,800

Poverty Rate 12.9%

Unemployment Rate 4.8%

Median Age 38.4 years

Homeownership Rate 63.7%

Affordability Ratio 7.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 39.3%

High School Graduation 93.8%

Cities/Places 19

Population 230,503 9th of 39

Median Income $81,784 17% lower than state

Poverty Rate 12.9%

Unemployment 4.8%

How Whatcom County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	228,432	230,503	+0.9%
Median household income	$80,989	$81,784	+1.0%
Median home value	$536,100	$585,800	+9.3%

Median Household Income

Whatcom

$81,784

$98,141

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Whatcom

$585,800

$564,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 14.0%

$25K-$50K 16.3%

$50K-$100K 28.5%

$100K+ 41.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.7%

$10K-$15K

3.5%

$15K-$20K

3.0%

$20K-$25K

2.9%

$25K-$30K

2.6%

$30K-$35K

3.3%

$35K-$40K

2.9%

$40K-$45K

4.1%

$45K-$50K

3.4%

$50K-$60K

6.6%

$60K-$75K

9.5%

$75K-$100K

12.5%

$100K-$125K

11.0%

$125K-$150K

8.6%

$150K-$200K

9.6%

$200K+

11.8%

Employment

4.8% Unemployment Rate State: 5.1%|National: 5.2%

63.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 63.7%

Renter 36.3%

Affordability Index Very Expensive

7.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,555/mo 22.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

18.5%

18-34

26.9%

35-54

24.1%

55-74

23.1%

75+

7.4%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 56 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Whatcom County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Bellingham	93,438	$66,755	18.6%	$627,500
Lynden	16,234	$103,233	7.2%	$596,600
Ferndale	15,999	$87,579	12.8%	$549,300
Birch Bay	10,837	$86,854	9.4%	$477,200
Blaine	6,100	$84,030	13.1%	$549,600
Sudden Valley	6,084	$100,930	7.6%	$489,200
Marietta-Alderwood	3,754	$76,019	7.9%	$547,100
Everson	3,040	$80,250	5.5%	$450,300
Peaceful Valley	2,858	$59,625	17.1%	$317,800
Geneva	2,073	$142,188	1.8%	$801,100
Nooksack	1,794	$97,159	14.7%	$524,300
Sumas	1,512	$89,375	9.7%	$441,500
Point Roberts	1,288	$78,125	14.9%	$483,900
Kendall	657	N/A	23.0%	$338,900
Deming	568	N/A	17.8%	$459,600
Custer	477	$93,598	19.9%	$527,600
Glacier	339	N/A	1.8%	$544,600
Acme	223	$67,361	15.3%	$507,100
Maple Falls	209	$34,574	0.0%	$614,600

Explore Washington Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Whatcom County is located in Washington with a total population of 230,503. It is the 9th most populous county out of 39 in Washington. The county encompasses 19 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Whatcom County is 38.4 years. This is about the same as the state median of 38.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Whatcom County is $81,784. This is 17% lower than the state median of $98,141. It is also 1% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.9%. This is 30% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 4.8%. This is 6% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $585,800. Housing costs are 4% higher than the state median of $564,600. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.2x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 63.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Whatcom County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 75.7% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 10.6%. The Black or African American population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 3.9%. The Asian population (4.3%) is well below the state average of 9.7%.

Education

39.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is about the same as the state rate of 39.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Whatcom County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Washington and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Whatcom County, Washington?

Whatcom County has a population of 230,503, making it the 9th most populous county in Washington.

What is the median income in Whatcom County?

The median household income in Whatcom County is $81,784 with a poverty rate of 12.9%.

How many cities are in Whatcom County, Washington?

Whatcom County contains 19 Census-designated places.