Whatcom County, WA

County

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2021 Population

224,533

0.00223% 1-year decline

US Senator

Patty Murray

Democratic Party

US Senator

Maria Cantwell

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

37.8

0.8% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

13.4%

3.23% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$70,011

7.02% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$396,500

7.45% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

110,072

0.351% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Whatcom County, WA had a population of 225k people with a median age of 37.8 and a median household income of $70,011. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Whatcom County, WA declined from 224,538 to 224,533, a −0.00223% decrease and its median household income grew from $65,420 to $70,011, a 7.02% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Whatcom County, WA are White (Non-Hispanic) (77.5%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.84%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (4.2%), White (Hispanic) (3.76%), and Other (Hispanic) (3.44%).

None of the households in Whatcom County, WA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95.2% of the residents in Whatcom County, WA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Whatcom County, WA are Western Washington University (3,975 degrees awarded in 2021), Whatcom Community College (1,343 degrees), and Bellingham Technical College (1,134 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Whatcom County, WA was $396,500, and the homeownership rate was 62.4%.

Most people in Whatcom County, WA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22 minutes. The average car ownership in Whatcom County, WA was 2 cars per household.

Whatcom County, WA borders Okanogan County, WA, San Juan County, WA, and Skagit County, WA.

United States Washington Bellingham, WA

Population & Diversity

Whatcom County, WA is home to a population of 225k people, from which 95.2% are citizens. As of 2021, 9.67% of Whatcom County, WA residents were born outside of the country (21.7k people).

In 2021, there were 16 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (174k people) in Whatcom County, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 10.9k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 9.43k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.2%

2021 Citizenship

94.9%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 95.2% of Whatcom County, WA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Whatcom County, WA was 94.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Whatcom County, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Whatcom County, WA

White (Non-Hispanic)
174k ± 542
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
10.9k ± 937
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
9.43k ± 637

9.91%

Hispanic Population

22.3k people

9.91% of the people in Whatcom County, WA are hispanic (22.3k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Whatcom County, WA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Washington.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
242,407 ± 11,894 people
India
95,173 ± 7,527 people
China
81,169 ± 6,957 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Washington was Mexico, the natal country of 242,407 Washington residents, followed by India with 95,173 and China with 81,169.

Foreign-Born Population

9.67%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

21.7k people

10%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

22.5k people

As of 2021, 9.67% of Whatcom County, WA residents (21.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Whatcom County, WA was 10%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Whatcom County, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
5,251 ± 483
Gulf War (2001-)
2,482 ± 458
Gulf War (1990s)
2,071 ± 339

Whatcom County, WA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.12 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Whatcom County, WA employs 110k people. The largest industries in Whatcom County, WA are Health Care & Social Assistance (14,409 people), Manufacturing (11,768 people), and Retail Trade (11,629 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($88,338), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($77,750), and Management of Companies & Enterprises ($70,179).

Males in Washington have an average income that is 1.35 times higher than the average income of females, which is $65,962. The income inequality in Washington (measured using the Gini index) is 0.468, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

110k

2021 Value

± 2,953

0.351%

1 Year growth

± 3.76%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Whatcom County, WA grew at a rate of 0.351%, from 110k employees to 110k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Whatcom County, WA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (12,042 people), Management Occupations (11,358 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (9,521 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Whatcom County, WA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Washington (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

110k

2021 Value

± 2,953

0.351%

1 Year growth

± 3.76%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Whatcom County, WA grew at a rate of 0.351%, from 110k employees to 110k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Whatcom County, WA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (14,409 people), Manufacturing (11,768 people), and Retail Trade (11,629 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Whatcom County, WA, though some of these residents may live in Whatcom County, WA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$51,076

Median earning men ± $2,188

$32,160

Median earning women ± $856

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Public Administration ($84,453), Information ($67,976), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($62,902).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($49,221), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($46,250), and Construction ($45,611).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Washington. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Washington.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

2,582
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
1,474
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
1,456
Manufacturing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$2.31M
Manufacturing
$1.15M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$558k
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Washington to other states, or from other states to Washington.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Washington product (by dollars) was Misc. mfg. prods. with $42.2B, followed by Mixed freight ($36.4B) and Electronics ($33.3B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Washington products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Washington.

$416B

2020 Value in Washington

$982B

Projected 2050 Value in Washington

136% growth

In 2020, total outbound Washington trade was $416B. This is expected to increase 136% to $982B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Washington trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Washington to other states, or from other states to Washington.

Most Common Trade Partners

Oregon
$34.7B
California
$26.5B
Texas
$12.9B

In 2020, the top outbound Washington domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Oregon with $34.7B, followed by California with $26.5B and Texas and $12.9B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Washington shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Whatcom County, WA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 60.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (36.4%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.8%).

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing the state of Washington. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (60.4%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (36.4%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.8%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Whatcom County, WA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Washington

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Patty Murray

Senator from Washington

Assumed office on January 3, 1993

Maria Cantwell

Senator from Washington

Assumed office on January 3, 2001

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing Washington.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Washington over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Washington

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Washington have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Whatcom County, WA awarded 6,575 degrees. The student population of Whatcom County, WA in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 9,125 male students and 12,387 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Whatcom County, WA are White (4,501 and 69.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (688 and 10.6%), Two or More Races (466 and 7.21%), and Asian (313 and 4.84%).

The largest universities in Whatcom County, WA by number of degrees awarded are Western Washington University (3,975 and 60.5%), Whatcom Community College (1,343 and 20.4%), and Bellingham Technical College (1,134 and 17.2%).

The most popular majors in Whatcom County, WA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (569 and 8.65%), General Psychology (224 and 3.41%), and General Marketing & Marketing Management (155 and 2.36%).

The median tuition cost in Whatcom County, WA for a public four year colleges is $4,246 for in-state students and $7,049 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Whatcom County, WA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 96.1%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 28.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 21,512 (42.4% men and 57.6% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 21,512 students enrolled in Whatcom County, WA, 42.4% men and 57.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 13,783 records, of which 57.5% were women and 42.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
224 degrees awarded
Environmental Science
141 degrees awarded
Sociology
138 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Whatcom County, WA was General Psychology with 224 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Whatcom County, WA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Western Washington University
3,975 degrees awarded
Whatcom Community College
1,343 degrees awarded
Bellingham Technical College
1,134 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Western Washington University with 3,975 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 2,749 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Whatcom County, WA, which is 0.719 times less than the 3,826 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 4,501 degrees mean that there were 6.54 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 688 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($4,246) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($768) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,014) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Measure

In 2021, 0.864% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.881% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were Some college (1.41M), High School or Equivalent (1.38M), and Bachelors Degree (1.29M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Whatcom County, WA was $396,500 in 2021, which is 1.62 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $369,000 to $396,500, a 7.45% increase. The homeownership rate in Whatcom County, WA is 62.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Whatcom County, WA have an average commute time of 22 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Whatcom County, WA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Whatcom County, WA is $70,011. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Whatcom County, WA was Census Tract 106 with a value of $104,462, followed by Census Tract 9.02 and Census Tract 8.04, with respective values of $99,973 and $97,102.

In 2022, 19.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Whatcom County, WA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.538%.

Housing

Property

$396,500

Median Property Value 2021

±$6,723

$56,078

Median Property Taxes

±$1,732

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Whatcom County, WA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Whatcom County, WA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

62.4%

Homeownership

2021

67.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 62.4% of the housing units in Whatcom County, WA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 62.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Whatcom County, WA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 106
Census Tract 9.02
Census Tract 8.04

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Whatcom County, WA was Census Tract 106 with a value of $104,462, followed by Census Tract 9.02 and Census Tract 8.04, with respective values of $99,973 and $97,102.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Whatcom County, WA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$70,011

Median Household Income

± $2,188

89.9k

Number of Households

± 2,649

In 2021, the median household income of the 89.9k households in Whatcom County, WA grew to $70,011 from the previous year's value of $65,420.

The following chart displays the households in Whatcom County, WA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Whatcom County, WA is from Washington.

0.468

2021 Wage GINI in Washington

0.466

2020 Wage GINI in Washington

In 2021, the income inequality in Washington was 0.468 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.488% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Washington was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Washington in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Washington across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (74.5%)
Worked At Home (9.02%)
Carpooled (7.98%)

In 2021, 74.5% of workers in Whatcom County, WA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.02%) and those who carpooled to work (7.98%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

22 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Whatcom County, WA have a shorter commute time (22 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.45% of the workforce in Whatcom County, WA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Whatcom County, WA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Whatcom County, WA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Whatcom County, WA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 19.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Whatcom County, WA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.538%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

13.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Whatcom County, WA (29.4k out of 219k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Whatcom County, WA is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 10.9% of the children was living in poverty in Whatcom County, WA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 7.8%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 194 in Whatcom County, WA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.96 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

94.4% of the population of Whatcom County, WA has health coverage, with 48.9% on employee plans, 17.3% on Medicaid, 13.1% on Medicare, 13.7% on non-group plans, and 1.36% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Whatcom County, WA see 1092 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.27% decrease from the previous year (1106 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1383 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 204 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.2% were men and 50.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,092 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Whatcom County, WA

Primary care physicians in Whatcom County, WA see an average of 1,092 patients per year. This represents a 1.27% decrease from the previous year (1,106 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Whatcom County, WA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.1% under 18 years, 25.5% between 18 and 34 years, 36% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.2% were men and 50.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.64%

Uninsured

48.9%

Employer Coverage

17.3%

Medicaid

13.1%

Medicare

13.7%

Non-Group

1.36%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Whatcom County, WA declined by 4.31% from 5.89% to 5.64%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Whatcom County, WA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 32 in Whatcom County, WA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Whatcom County, WA.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 32.6% in Whatcom County, WA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Whatcom County, WA.

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