How long do people stay in their homes in Bellingham, WA?

Name: How long people stay in Bellingham, WA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

35.4% (±1.8 points) of households in Bellingham, WA moved into their current home in 2020 or later (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

9.5% have lived in it since before 2000.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Moved in 2020 or later: 35.4% (±1.8 points)
Since before 2000: 9.5%

When households in Bellingham moved in

Occupied housing units by year the householder moved in, 2020–2024
Moved in	Bellingham	Whatcom County	Washington	United States
2023 or later	6.9% (±0.9 points)	5.1%	5.2%	4.6%
2020 to 2022	28.5% (±1.6 points)	22.6%	22.4%	20.2%
2010 to 2019	41.8% (±2.0 points)	41.5%	41.8%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	13.3% (±1.2 points)	17.6%	15.4%	16.4%
1990 to 1999	5.0% (±0.8 points)	7.1%	8.2%	9.6%
1989 or earlier	4.5% (±1.0 points)	6.2%	6.8%	9.5%

A high share of recent movers usually means more renting households and more turnover; a high share of long-time residents usually means more owners who have stayed.

In Bellingham, the share of households that moved in since 2020 is higher than in Whatcom County (27.7%).

It is also higher than in Washington (27.6%).

It is higher than the national figure (24.8%).

Households that moved in since 2020 in places near Bellingham

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Bellingham
Place	Distance	Households that moved in since 2020	Compared with this place
Bellingham	—	35.4% (±1.8 points)	—
Geneva	3.1 mi	17.4% (±9.5 points)	Lower
Marietta-Alderwood	4.6 mi	25.3% (±8.8 points)	Lower
Sudden Valley	6.1 mi	18.4% (±5.5 points)	Lower
Ferndale	8.8 mi	27.6% (±4.7 points)	Lower
Everson	12 mi	17.6% (±5.8 points)	Lower
Lynden	14 mi	36.0% (±6.2 points)	Not measurably different
Nooksack	14 mi	25.6% (±8.0 points)	Lower
Birch Bay	17 mi	22.6% (±4.6 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Geneva, WA (17.4%), Marietta-Alderwood, WA (25.3%), Sudden Valley, WA (18.4%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that moved in since 2020 across Whatcom County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that moved in since 2020
1	Sumas	39.1% (±11.9 points)
2	Lynden	36.0% (±6.2 points)
3	Bellingham	35.4% (±1.8 points)
4	Ferndale	27.6% (±4.7 points)
5	Peaceful Valley	26.4% (±9.0 points)
6	Nooksack	25.6% (±8.0 points)
7	Blaine	25.4% (±6.2 points)
8	Marietta-Alderwood	25.3% (±8.8 points)
9	Point Roberts	24.8% (±7.4 points)

Showing 9 of 13 places in Whatcom County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Bellingham

How often do people move in Bellingham?

35.4% of households in Bellingham, WA moved into their home in 2020 or later (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many long-time residents does Bellingham have?

9.5% of households in Bellingham have lived in their home since 1999 or earlier.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Bellingham city, Washington

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Bellingham city, Washington (place:05280, in state:53).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0051PE, DP04_0051PM, DP04_0052PE, DP04_0052PM, DP04_0053PE, DP04_0053PM, DP04_0054PE, DP04_0054PM, DP04_0055PE, DP04_0055PM, DP04_0056PE, DP04_0056PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.