HomeWashingtonWhatcom County
Whatcom County, Washington: commercial real estate data.
Whatcom County, Washington had an estimated 234,954 residents on July 1, 2024, up 3.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 226,844, across 2,107 square miles. 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 since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Whatcom County
How many people live in Whatcom County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024230,503
- 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-equivalents, Puerto Rico included307th of 3,222
Whatcom County is the 9th largest of 39 Washington counties by population. A median home costs 7.2 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. 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 story 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, July 1, 2024234,954
- Census 2020 base population226,844
- Population change since the 2020 census base3.58 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20242,268
- 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 of 3,144
The county has grown 3.58 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
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
- Tax returns filed by households leaving6,127
- Net household movement255
- Adjusted gross income arriving$582.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$29.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$91,268
- Average income of a leaving household$90,205
- Largest single originKing County (1,045 households)
- Largest single destinationKing County (798 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| King County | 1,045 | 1,484 | $129.9 m |
| Snohomish County | 487 | 750 | $36.8 m |
| Skagit County | 444 | 705 | $27.4 m |
| Pierce County | 184 | 280 | $15.7 m |
| Island County | 130 | 191 | $8.4 m |
| Multnomah County | 125 | 172 | $9.0 m |
| Los Angeles County | 122 | 188 | $16.4 m |
| San Diego County | 97 | 175 | $10.8 m |
Households arriving report $1,063 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is King County, 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 the Washington areas BEA publishes7th of 39
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes251st of 3,127
- 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
Employment by industry in Whatcom County
- Covered employment, annual average93,430
- Establishments reporting7,358
- Average annual pay$65,174
- Average weekly wage$1,253
- Health care and social assistance, employment13,337
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$66,137
- Retail trade, employment10,643
- Retail trade, average annual pay$42,238
- Manufacturing, employment8,935
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$79,570
- Accommodation and food services, employment8,347
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$28,924
- Construction, employment7,564
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment4,444
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 13,337 | 628 | $66,137 |
| Retail trade | 10,643 | 719 | $42,238 |
| Manufacturing | 8,935 | 336 | $79,570 |
| Accommodation and food services | 8,347 | 576 | $28,924 |
| Construction | 7,564 | 878 | $86,578 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 4,444 | 1,045 | $93,380 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 4,152 | 441 | $52,875 |
| Other services, except public administration | 3,568 | 659 | $49,987 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 13,337 jobs, 14.3 percent of covered employment.
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. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Whatcom County
Building permits in Whatcom County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20241,190
- Declared construction value permitted$295.4 m
- Single family units authorized773
- Multifamily units authorized417
- Multifamily share of units35.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$248,194
- Units authorized per 1,000 households12.7
Single-family homes are 65.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
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)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$294.9 m
The average approval of $634,280 sits well above the median of $204,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here 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
- Borrower cities with recorded lending15
- Bellingham, approvals165
- Lynden, approvals40
- Ferndale, approvals32
- Blaine, approvals14
- Point Roberts, approvals3
- Deming, approvals3
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Bellingham | 165 | $116,139,200 |
| Lynden | 40 | $13,161,700 |
| Ferndale | 32 | $15,548,200 |
| Blaine | 14 | $3,273,800 |
| Point Roberts | 3 | $9,939,000 |
| Deming | 3 | $2,787,000 |
| Maple Falls | 2 | $1,782,300 |
| Everson | 2 | $600,000 |
| 7 other borrower cities | 10 | $8,658,800 |
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.
Whatcom County
Flood risk in Whatcom County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Whatcom County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 530198
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 6
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 6
- Communities carrying a CRS class5
- Radon levels in Whatcom County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Whatcom County (community 530198), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 6, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Whatcom County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 6, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
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.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024230,503
- 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?
The Census Bureau estimates 234,954 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 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 of 226,844, to 234,954 on July 1, 2024. 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 employment by industry in Whatcom County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 13,337 jobs, 14.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 93,430 jobs at an average annual pay of $65,174, or $1,253 a week. 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 totaling $171.9 m since FY2020, across 55 lenders, with a median approval of $204,000, plus 181 504 approvals worth $123.1 m since FY2010. 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 authorized 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 King County, with 1,045 households. Arriving households report an average income of $91,268 against $90,205 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?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Whatcom County
Cities and places in Whatcom.
19 Census places lie wholly or partly in Whatcom County. All 19 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | 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 5 of the county's 271 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Whatcom County, the largest being Sedro Woolley (2), Oak Harbor (1), Snohomish (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby