Birch Bay is a community in Whatcom County, Washington, home to about 10,837 people across 17 square miles. Its ZIP code is 98230.
Homes sold for a median of $316 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Mostly Birch Bay; also Blaine
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Birch Bay. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Birch Bay’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)106 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Bellingham International Airport (BLI)15 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Seattle, WA94 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Birch Bay; 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.
Birch Bay had 10,115 residents in the 2020 census, up 104% since 2000.
It’s the 123rd 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 73°F in summer, and winter lows average 34°F. About 41.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 9 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Blaine, WA weather station (3 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).
66 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Birch Bay.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 6 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 4 |
| Dentists | 5 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 4 |
| Mental health providers | 28 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 14 |
| Optometrists | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 4 |
| Pharmacies | 1 |
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 (19 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 3 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.
Public schools here are run by Blaine School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blaine Primary SchoolBlaine | Pre-K–2 | 419 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| Blaine Home ConnectionBlaine | K–8 | 39 | Alternative Education | 2.1 mi |
| Blaine Elementary SchoolBlaine | 3–5 | 469 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| Blaine Middle SchoolBlaine | 6–8 | 471 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| Blaine High SchoolBlaine | 9–12 | 566 | Public | 2.1 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Blaine.
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.