Continued from above
Bellingham is generally a working-class community, with median income levels well below the Washington average at $32,530 per year for the typical family. Homebuyers relocating to Bellingham typically paid 12% more than the average for real estate in the Whatcom County region as a whole. For those who don't own their own homes, the cost of renting a home in Bellingham is generally in line with that in surrounding localities, with rental prices averaging $522 for single-bedroom apartments up to $709 for larger homes.


The average commute for people in Bellingham is 18 minutes, with 13% traveling more than 30 minutes to work. Most Bellingham residents (85.21%) drive to their jobs, while 3.78% use public transportation of some kind to get to work. The rest reside close enough to their place of employ to either bike or walk to work.

Bellingham is a college town, with university students making up 21% of the population. In addition, Bellingham is has many options for families with children, with 22 elementary schools, 4 middle or junior high schools and 11 high schools open to local children.