Bellingham is a city in Whatcom County, Washington, home to about 93,438 people across 28 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 98225, 98226 and 98229.
Homes sold for a median of $390 per square foot across 3 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and all of them were seller’s markets.
Mostly Bellingham; also Marietta-Alderwood
Mostly Bellingham; also Marietta-Alderwood
Mostly Bellingham; also Sudden Valley and Geneva
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Bellingham. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Bellingham’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)90 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Bellingham International Airport (BLI)5 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Seattle, WA78 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Bellingham; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Bellingham had 91,482 residents in the 2020 census, up 36% since 2000.
It’s the 12th largest of 628 towns in Washington by population.
Whatcom County grew from 24,116 residents in 1900 to 226,847 in 2020.
Whatcom County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 75°F in summer, and winter lows average 35°F. About 36.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 3 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Bellingham 3 Ssw, WA weather station (4 miles away).
80,648 jobs at 7,146 businesses in Whatcom County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
3,185 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Bellingham’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 299 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 404 |
| Dentists | 159 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 317 |
| Mental health providers | 1,631 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 233 |
| Optometrists | 46 |
| Chiropractors | 96 |
| Pharmacies | 40 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (56 nearby)
Grocery stores (13 nearby)
Pharmacies (11 nearby)
Libraries (4 nearby)
Museums (8 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (8 nearby)
Counts are within about 3.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1852.
Colleges and universities
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Bellingham School District, Meridian School District, Ferndale School District and others. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alderwood Elementary SchoolBellingham | Pre-K–5 | 305 | Public | 4.0 mi |
| Birchwood Elementary SchoolBellingham | Pre-K–5 | 335 | Public | 3.1 mi |
| Carl Cozier Elementary SchoolBellingham | Pre-K–5 | 325 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| Columbia Elementary SchoolBellingham | Pre-K–5 | 187 | Public | 2.1 mi |
| Cordata Elementary SchoolBellingham | Pre-K–5 | 357 | Public | 4.4 mi |
| Geneva Elementary SchoolBellingham | Pre-K–5 | 412 | Public | 2.2 mi |
| Happy Valley Elementary SchoolBellingham | Pre-K–5 | 455 | Public | 2.4 mi |
| Irene Reither Elementary SchoolEverson | Pre-K–5 | 765 | Public | 8.0 mi |
| Lowell Elementary SchoolBellingham | Pre-K–5 | 338 | Public | 2.8 mi |
| Meridian Special ProgramsBellingham | Pre-K | 26 | Special Education | 7.5 mi |
| North Bell Learning CenterBellingham | Pre-K–K | — | Public | 7.1 mi |
| Northern Heights Elementary SchlBellingham | Pre-K–5 | 396 | Public | 2.9 mi |
| Parkview Elementary SchoolBellingham | Pre-K–5 | 422 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| Roosevelt Elementary SchoolBellingham | Pre-K–5 | 348 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Silver Beach Elementary SchoolBellingham | Pre-K–5 | 357 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| Sunnyland Elementary SchoolBellingham | Pre-K–5 | 288 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Wade King Elementary SchoolBellingham | Pre-K–5 | 297 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| Bellingham Family Partnership ProgramBellingham | K–12 | 258 | Alternative Education | 2.9 mi |
| Harmony ElementaryBellingham | K–6 | 288 | Public | 7.4 mi |
| Lummi Nation Tribal SchoolBellingham | K–8 | 297 | Public | 9.4 mi |
| Meridian Parent Partnership ProgramBellingham | K–8 | 208 | Alternative Education | 7.6 mi |
| Fairhaven Middle SchoolBellingham | 6–8 | 588 | Public | 3.4 mi |
| Kulshan Middle SchoolBellingham | 6–8 | 575 | Public | 0.9 mi |
| Shuksan Middle SchoolBellingham | 6–8 | 606 | Public | 3.1 mi |
| Visions (Seamar Youth Center)Bellingham | 6–12 | 11 | Alternative Education | 1.3 mi |
| Whatcom Middle SchoolBellingham | 6–8 | 637 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| Whatcom Co Detention CenterBellingham | 8–12 | 4 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Bellingham High SchoolBellingham | 9–12 | 1,165 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| Bellingham Re-Engagement ProgramBellingham | 9–12 | 110 | Alternative Education | 1.5 mi |
| Intergenerational High SchoolBellingham | 9–12 | 107 | Charter | 3.1 mi |
And 7 more.
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assumption Catholic SchoolBellingham | Pre-K–8 | 223 | Roman Catholic | 1.3 mi |
| Blue Heron Montessori SchoolBellingham | Pre-K–K | 14 | Nonsectarian | 2.4 mi |
| Cedar Tree MontessoriBellingham | Pre-K–6 | 57 | Nonsectarian | 1.8 mi |
| Franklin AcademyBellingham | Pre-K–8 | 321 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 2.3 mi |
| Montessori at Samish WoodsBellingham | Pre-K–6 | 61 | Nonsectarian | 2.1 mi |
| The Franklin AcademyBellingham | Pre-K–8 | 331 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 2.4 mi |
| Whatcom Hills Waldorf SchoolBellingham | Pre-K–8 | 177 | Nonsectarian | 2.4 mi |
| The Robert Williams School of Arts SciencesBellingham | K–5 | 23 | Nonsectarian | 1.9 mi |
| Independence High SchoolBellingham | 3–12 | 22 | Nonsectarian | 1.9 mi |
| Explorations AcademyBellingham | 6–12 | 38 | Nonsectarian | 1.0 mi |
| Cascades Montessori Middle SchoolBellingham | 7–8 | 36 | Nonsectarian | 2.6 mi |
| Acton Academy of WhatcomBellingham | Ungraded | 15 | Nonsectarian | 5.4 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Sudden Valley, Geneva, Marietta-Alderwood and Alger.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.