Bellingham, WA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Bellingham, WA Summary

Cost of living in Bellingham research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Bellingham is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Washington, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Bellingham is 123, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Bellingham is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Bellingham ranks as the #95 cheapest in Washington out of 192.

  • Bellingham ranks as the #4,954 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Bellingham is $440,300.

  • The median income in Bellingham is $59,163.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
123
Bellingham's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Bellingham, WA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bellingham has an overall cost of living index of 123, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Washington, Bellingham has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Washington's index of 115.

The standard of living in Bellingham ranks as #95 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Bellingham ranks as the #97 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.

For more reading on life in Bellingham, check out:

95 out of 192
In Washington
4,954 out of 6,412
In America

Bellingham Cost Of Living Vs. Washington

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Bellingham. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Bellingham is 125.

  • The Groceries index in Bellingham is 112.

  • The Health index in Bellingham is 118.

  • The Housing index in Bellingham is 143.

  • The Transportation index in Bellingham is 128.

  • The Utilities index in Bellingham is 86.

Living Expense Bellingham Washington National Average
Overall 123 115 100
Services 125 112 100
Groceries 112 109 100
Health 118 119 100
Housing 143 129 100
Transportation 128 116 100
Utilities 86 90 100
For more reading on cost of living around Washington, check out:
Bellingham Cost of Living Vs. WA

Bellingham, WA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Washington, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Bellingham is $440,300.

  • The Median Rent in Bellingham is $1,222.

  • The Median Income in Bellingham is $59,163.

  • The Home Value To Income in Bellingham is 7.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Bellingham is 0.25x.

Statistic Bellingham Washington United States
Median Home Value $440,300 $397,600 $244,900
Median Rent $1,222 $1,439 $1,163
Median Income $59,163 $82,400 $69,021
Home Value To Income 7.4x 4.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.21x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Bellingham, WA
$440,300
Median Home Value
$1,222
Median Rent
$59,163
Median Income

Bellingham, WA Costs By Category

Detailed Bellingham Services Costs Vs. Washington

Item Bellingham Washington
Shampoo $1.27 $1.06
Movie $12.86 $10.68
Bowling $19.1 $14.67
Haircut $23.41 $18.62
Beauty Salon $39.23 $39.05

Detailed Bellingham Groceries Costs Vs. Washington

Item Bellingham Washington
Ground Beef $4.99 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.92 $1.39
Milk $2.24 $2.05
Potatoes $3.69 $3.29
Pizza $12.99 $10.62
Beer $9.85 $9.38
Toothpaste $3.06 $2.34

Detailed Bellingham Health Costs Vs. Washington

Item Bellingham Washington
Optometrist $166.78 $108.57
Doctor $144.56 $116.17
Dentist $113.38 $99.13

Detailed Bellingham Transportation Costs Vs. Washington

Item Bellingham Washington
Gasoline $2.94 $2.22
Tire Balancing $57.1 $50.07

Detailed Bellingham Utilities Costs Vs. Washington

Item Bellingham Washington
All Electricity $120.45 $167.67
Phone $192.71 $175.64

Bellingham SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
8
Safety
5
Amenities
9.5
Education
8.5
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Bellingham

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Bellingham. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Anacortes, WA has a cost of living index of 128, 1.0x Bellingham.

  • Lynden, WA has a cost of living index of 121, 1.0x Bellingham.

  • Ferndale, WA has a cost of living index of 119, 1.0x Bellingham.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Bellingham
Anacortes, WA 17,437 128 1.0x
Lynden, WA 15,410 121 1.0x
Ferndale, WA 14,777 119 1.0x
Sedro-Woolley, WA 12,266 111 0.9x
Birch Bay, WA 10,062 119 1.0x
Sudden Valley, WA 7,251 126 1.0x

Articles About Washington

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