HomeWashingtonWhatcom County
Whatcom County, Washington: commercial real estate data.
Whatcom County, Washington has a population of 230,503 across 2,107 square miles, up 3.6 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $20.64 bn in 2024, 7,146 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 271 7(a) approvals worth $171.9 m.
123 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections · underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency
Whatcom County
How many people live in Whatcom County
- Population230,503
- Households94,021
- Average household size2.45
- Median household income$81,784
- Median age38.4
- Median gross rent$1,555 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$585,800
- Home value to household income7.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income22.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher39.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree14.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over157,791
- Population under 1842,743
- Share under 1818.5 percent
- Population 65 and over43,568
- Share 65 and over18.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64144,192
- Civilian labor force121,265
- Unemployment rate4.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over64.6 percent
- Rank by population among Washington counties9th of 39
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents307th
Whatcom County is the 9th largest of 39 Washington counties by population. A median home costs 7.2 times median household income, which is a stretched ownership market and usually shows up as rental demand. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 18.9 percent against 18.5 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single storey product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Whatcom County
Is Whatcom County's population growing?
- Population change since the 2020 census base3.58 percent
- Census 2020 base population226,844
- Births, 20241,932
- Deaths, 20241,929
- Natural change, 20243
- Net domestic migration, 20241,276
- Net international migration, 2024976
- Total net migration, 20242,252
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20244,869
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents760th
The county has grown 3.58 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Whatcom County
Where are people moving to Whatcom County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving6,382
- People arriving, from those returns9,740
- Adjusted gross income arriving$582.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$91,268
- Largest single originWhatcom County Non-migrants (89,243 households)
- Largest single destination (89,243 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whatcom County Non-migrants | 89,243 | 171,230 | $9.01 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 1,949 | 3,125 | $163.1 m |
| King County | 1,045 | 1,484 | $129.9 m |
| Other flows - West | 786 | 1,262 | $67.6 m |
| Other flows - South | 587 | 993 | $49.6 m |
| Snohomish County | 487 | 750 | $36.8 m |
| Skagit County | 444 | 705 | $27.4 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 340 | 529 | $26.1 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Whatcom County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Whatcom County
What is the Whatcom County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$20.64 bn
- County GDP, 2023$20.58 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20240.3 percent
- GDP change over five years46.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among Washington counties7th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents251st
- GDP per resident$89,542
Output grew 0.3 percent in the latest year and 46.7 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Whatcom County
Largest employers in Whatcom County
- Covered employment, annual average93,430
- Establishments reporting7,358
- Average annual pay$65,174
- Average weekly wage$1,253
- Sector 62, employment13,337
- Sector 62, average annual pay$66,137
- Sector 44-45, employment10,643
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$42,238
- Sector 31-33, employment8,935
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$79,570
- Sector 72, employment8,347
- Sector 72, average annual pay$28,924
- Sector 23, employment7,564
- Sector 54, employment4,444
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 13,337 | 628 | $66,137 |
| Sector 44-45 | 10,643 | 719 | $42,238 |
| Sector 31-33 | 8,935 | 336 | $79,570 |
| Sector 72 | 8,347 | 576 | $28,924 |
| Sector 23 | 7,564 | 878 | $86,578 |
| Sector 54 | 4,444 | 1,045 | $93,380 |
| Sector 56 | 4,152 | 441 | $52,875 |
| Sector 81 | 3,568 | 659 | $49,987 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 13,337 jobs, 14.3 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Whatcom County
How many businesses are in Whatcom County?
- Establishments, all industries7,146
- Employment at those establishments80,648
- Annual payroll$4.77 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents31.0
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Whatcom County
Building permits in Whatcom County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20241,190
- Declared construction value permitted$295.4 m
- Single family units authorised773
- Multifamily units authorised417
- Multifamily share of units35.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$248,194
- Units authorised per 1,000 households12.7
Multifamily is 35.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Whatcom County
SBA loans in Whatcom County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded271
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$171.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$634,280
- Median 7(a) approval$204,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,753,700
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)2,408
- Jobs per approval8.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active55
- Distinct industries receiving approvals123
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer14.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms39
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter227
- Franchise loans29
- Franchise share of approvals10.7 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGeneral Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (15)
- Most active lenderBanner Bank (38)
- 504 approvals recorded181
- 504 gross approval dollars$123.1 m
- Average 504 approval$679,840
- Median 504 approval$466,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval7.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.6
- Most active CDCNorthwest Business Development Association (78)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals60.0 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$294.9 m
The average approval of $634,280 sits well above the median of $204,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 14.4 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Whatcom County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Whatcom County
Do SBA loans in Whatcom County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded59
- Paid in full56
- Charged off3
- Charge off rate on resolved loans5.1 percent
- Status: Paid in full56
- Status: Exempt from disclosure178
- Status: Cancelled21
- Status: Charged off3
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed13
Of the 59 loans that have reached a final outcome, 5.1 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Whatcom County
SBA lending by place in Whatcom County
- Places in the county with recorded lending15
- Bellingham, approvals165
- LYNDEN, approvals40
- Ferndale, approvals32
- BLAINE, approvals14
- Deming, approvals3
- Point Roberts, approvals3
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Bellingham | 165 | $116,139,200 |
| LYNDEN | 40 | $13,161,700 |
| Ferndale | 32 | $15,548,200 |
| BLAINE | 14 | $3,273,800 |
| Deming | 3 | $2,787,000 |
| Point Roberts | 3 | $9,939,000 |
| MAPLE FALLS | 2 | $1,782,300 |
| EVERSON | 2 | $600,000 |
Bellingham accounts for 165 approvals against 40 in LYNDEN. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Whatcom County
How large is Whatcom County?
- Land area2,107 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Washington counties12th of 39
- Width, east to west111 mi
- Height, north to south25 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary2
- Residents per square mile of land109
- Establishments per square mile3.39
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Whatcom County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Whatcom County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population230,503
- Households94,021
- Average household size2.45
- Median household income$81,784
- Median age38.4
Common questions
Whatcom County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Whatcom County, Washington?
230,503, in 94,021 households, ranking 9th of 39 Washington counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Whatcom County's population growing?
The population has grown 3.58 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 1,932 births against 1,929 deaths, with net migration of 2,252. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Whatcom County?
$81,784. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $585,800, which is 7.2 times income, and median gross rent is $1,555 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Whatcom County?
7,146 establishments, employing 80,648 people with an annual payroll of $4.77 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Whatcom County?
Average annual pay is $65,174, or $1,253 a week, across 93,430 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Whatcom County?
271 7(a) approvals totalling $171.9 m since FY2020, across 55 lenders, with a median approval of $204,000, plus 181 504 approvals worth $123.1 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Whatcom County get paid back?
Of the 59 loans that have reached a final outcome, 56 were paid in full and 3 charged off, a charge off rate of 5.1 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Whatcom County?
1,190 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $295.4 m. Multifamily was 35.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Whatcom County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Whatcom County come from?
The largest single origin is Whatcom County Non-migrants, with 89,243 households. Arriving households report an average income of $91,268 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Whatcom County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Whatcom County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.
Whatcom County
Cities and places in Whatcom.
19 Census places lie wholly or partly in Whatcom County. 19 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked. The rest are named here and not linked, because the American Community Survey and the SBA record between them do not carry enough about them to write an honest page. A place existing is itself worth knowing, so nothing in the county is left out.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA approvals | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham | city | 93,438 | 165 | Wholly in this county |
| Lynden | city | 16,234 | 40 | Wholly in this county |
| Ferndale | city | 15,999 | 32 | Wholly in this county |
| Birch Bay | CDP | 10,837 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Blaine | city | 6,100 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Sudden Valley | CDP | 6,084 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Marietta-Alderwood | CDP | 3,754 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Everson | city | 3,040 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Peaceful Valley | CDP | 2,858 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Geneva | CDP | 2,073 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Nooksack | city | 1,794 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Sumas | city | 1,512 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Point Roberts | CDP | 1,288 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Kendall | CDP | 657 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Deming | CDP | 568 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Custer | CDP | 477 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Glacier | CDP | 339 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Acme | CDP | 223 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Maple Falls | CDP | 209 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 SBA approvals in Whatcom County are recorded against borrower cities that match no Census place, the largest being Greenbank. Those are postal cities and unincorporated areas rather than incorporated places, so no page claims them, and their lending is counted in this county's totals above rather than under any city.