Bellingham cost of living
Prices in the Bellingham, WA metro area run at 103.3 against a national average of 100, ranking it #42 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 112.9.
What drives the number
Prices in Bellingham run at 103.3 where the national average is 100, so about 3.3 per cent above the country as a whole. It ranks #42 of 387 metro areas. Against Washington as a whole it is 3.7 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
The parts move together here rather than pulling against each other: goods at 105.0, rents at 112.9, other services at 99.9. Goods are close to national almost everywhere, because most are shipped and priced nationally, so it is worth noticing when rents behave the same way. Goods at 105.0 are themselves 5 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
Comparing a job here against one elsewhere on the headline salary alone will mislead by roughly 3.3 per cent. Adjusting by the parity fixes that.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Bellingham is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,820 | $35,680 | $34,540 | $30,480 |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,750 | $36,560 | $35,392 | $34,580 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,430 | $45,030 | $43,591 | $34,900 |
| Cashiers | 2,220 | $36,160 | $35,005 | $31,190 |
| Registered Nurses | 1,670 | $101,580 | $98,335 | $93,600 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,590 | $42,640 | $41,278 | $35,930 |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,460 | $48,160 | $46,621 | $43,630 |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,400 | $120,000 | $116,167 | $102,950 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 103.3.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | 111.1 | 151.3 | #7 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | 105.6 | 129.6 | #26 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | 105.4 | 125.1 | #28 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee | 103.9 | 115.0 | #37 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | 103.7 | 116.7 | #38 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes | 102.4 | 108.2 | #53 |
Bellingham: common questions
Is Bellingham expensive?
Prices are 3.3% above the national average, a parity of 103.3 where the country is 100. It ranks #42 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Washington as a whole it is 3.7 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in Bellingham?
The median worker there earns $54,860, which buys what $53,107 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 112.9 against goods at 105.0. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.