What is the median rent in Bellingham, WA?

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

The median gross rent in Bellingham, WA is $1,577 (±$41) a month, according to the US Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

That is across 22,631 rented homes; gross rent is the contract rent plus the utilities and fuels a renter pays separately.

In Bellingham, the median gross rent went from $1,056 in 2015–2019 to $1,577 in 2020–2024 (+49.3%).

Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Median gross rent: $1,577 (±$41)
Rented homes: 22,631 (±854)
$2,000 or more: 22.9%
Since 2015–2019: +49.3%

How much rent costs in Bellingham

Share of rented homes in each gross-rent range, 2020–2024
Monthly gross rent	Bellingham	Whatcom County	Washington	United States
Less than $500	3.2% (±0.8 points)	3.6%	4.6%	6.3%
$500 to $999	9.7% (±1.5 points)	11.4%	10.4%	20.2%
$1,000 to $1,499	32.2% (±2.5 points)	31.7%	21.4%	28.1%
$1,500 to $1,999	32.0% (±2.8 points)	30.1%	26.2%	21.1%
$2,000 to $2,499	11.9% (±2.3 points)	12.8%	18.7%	12.0%
$2,500 to $2,999	6.0% (±1.6 points)	5.5%	9.1%	5.5%
$3,000 or more	5.0% (±1.0 points)	4.9%	9.5%	6.8%

The most common range is $1,000 to $1,499, paid by 32.2% of renting households.

22.9% of rented homes in Bellingham cost $2,000 or more a month.

Bellingham against Whatcom County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Bellingham	Whatcom County	Washington	United States
Median gross rent	$1,577 (±$41)	$1,555 (±$39)	$1,760 (±$7)	$1,413
Rented homes paying rent	22,631 (±854)	33,143 (±1,096)	1,070,508 (±7,137)	42,849,984

In Bellingham, median gross rent is not measurably different from Whatcom County ($1,555).

It is also lower than in Washington ($1,760).

It is higher than the national figure ($1,413).

In Whatcom County, Bellingham ranks 6 of 13 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest median gross rent.

Statewide, it ranks 207 of 417.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How rent in Bellingham has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Median gross rent	$1,056 (±$33)	$1,577 (±$41)	+49.3%	Up after inflation
Households that rent	54.6% (±1.6 points)	55.4% (±1.7 points)	+0.8 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Rental vacancy rate	2.5% (±1.1 points)	3.1% (±1.1 points)	+0.6 percentage points	Not a measurable change

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Median gross rent in places near Bellingham

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Bellingham
Place	Distance	Median gross rent	Compared with this place
Bellingham	—	$1,577 (±$41)	—
Geneva	3.1 mi	$1,795 (±$1,704)	Not measurably different
Marietta-Alderwood	4.6 mi	$1,496 (±$168)	Not measurably different
Sudden Valley	6.1 mi	$1,816 (±$290)	Not measurably different
Ferndale	8.8 mi	$1,477 (±$181)	Not measurably different
Everson	12 mi	$1,294 (±$420)	Not measurably different
Lynden	14 mi	$1,707 (±$127)	Not measurably different
Nooksack	14 mi	$1,721 (±$356)	Not measurably different
Birch Bay	17 mi	$1,222 (±$548)	Not measurably different

None of the nearby places differs measurably from this one on this figure.

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

Median gross rent across Whatcom County, place by place

Rank	Place	Median gross rent
1	Sudden Valley	$1,816 (±$290)
2	Geneva	$1,795 (±$1,704)
3	Nooksack	$1,721 (±$356)
4	Lynden	$1,707 (±$127)
5	Sumas	$1,585 (±$219)
6	Bellingham	$1,577 (±$41)
7	Marietta-Alderwood	$1,496 (±$168)
8 (tie)	Ferndale	$1,477 (±$181)
8 (tie)	Peaceful Valley	$1,477 (±$269)
10	Blaine	$1,450 (±$170)
11	Everson	$1,294 (±$420)
12	Birch Bay	$1,222 (±$548)

Showing 12 of 13 places in Whatcom County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Bellingham

What is the average rent in Bellingham, WA?

The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Bellingham is $1,577 (±$41) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.

How much has rent gone up in Bellingham?

In Bellingham, the median gross rent went from $1,056 in 2015–2019 to $1,577 in 2020–2024 (+49.3%).

Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.

How many rentals in Bellingham cost more than $2,000 a month?

22.9% of rented homes in Bellingham have a gross rent of $2,000 or more a month, and 3.2% cost less than $500.

Is rent in Bellingham higher than in Whatcom County?

In Bellingham, median gross rent is not measurably different from Whatcom County ($1,555).

It is also lower than in Washington ($1,760).

It is higher than the national figure ($1,413).

Is this the rent for an apartment listed today?

No: these are rents households reported paying across 2020–2024, not asking rents for vacant homes, which usually run higher.

Sources

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 2015–2019 figures are B25064_001E, B25064_001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP04_0126E, DP04_0126M, DP04_0127PE, DP04_0127PM, DP04_0128PE, DP04_0128PM, DP04_0129PE, DP04_0129PM, DP04_0130PE, DP04_0130PM, DP04_0131PE, DP04_0131PM, DP04_0132PE, DP04_0132PM, DP04_0133PE, DP04_0133PM

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.