Whatcom County Commute Time Map & Patterns
HelpCompare commute patterns and ask AI Map about Whatcom County.
Commute from My AddressCommute Time Burden in Whatcom County: Annual Hours and Cost
Commuters in Whatcom County spend about 36 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 151 hours, about 6.3 full days, spent commuting.
That is 20% less time on the road than the Washington average of 22.6 minutes each way, a difference of 4.5 minutes.
Whatcom County holds about 3.0% of Washington's population but accounts for roughly 2.4% of its total commuting time.
Working from home just 2 days a week in Whatcom County would save about 60 hours of drive time a year, worth roughly $1,868 at the same national wage assumption used above.
| Area | One-Way Commute | Daily Round-Trip | Yearly Time Spent | Estimated Yearly Cost | Local Road Traffic (VPD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whatcom County | 18.1 min | 36.1 min | 151 hrs/yr | $4,669 | 954 |
| Washington | 22.6 min | 45.2 min | 188 hrs/yr | $5,842 | 1,525 |
| United States | 22.5 min | 44.9 min | 187 hrs/yr | $5,803 | 1,355 |
The estimated yearly cost applies a single national rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area - treat it as a rough estimate, not a paycheck figure. Local road traffic counts, vehicles per day on non-highway roads, come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Commute Time Map: Washington Counties
- Columbia County (11.6 min)
- Walla Walla County (12.0 min)
- San Juan County (12.7 min)
- Mason County (32.4 min)
- Wahkiakum County (30.7 min)
- Snohomish County (28.7 min)
Compare commute times among different counties
On average, it takes 18.1 minutes to get to work in Whatcom County. That's 20% shorter than the 22.5-minute U.S. average.
The most common departure window is 07:30 AM – 07:59 AM , followed by 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM .
Most people travel to work by Car , followed by Worked at Home . About 13.3% work from home.
Commute mode distribution
- Car: 78.3%
- Worked at Home: 13.3%
- Walked: 3.4%
- Public Transportation: 1.9%
- Bicycle: 1.9%
- Other: 1.0%
- Motorcycle: 0.1%
- Taxi: < 0.1% unusually low
Taxi commuting is unusually low in Whatcom County: 14.6 times less than the Washington average (0.0% vs 0.1%).
How does Whatcom County's commute time compare?
| Metric | Whatcom County | Washington | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. Commute Time | 18.1 min | 22.6 min | 22.5 min |
| Departure Window | 07:30 AM – 07:59 AM | 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM | 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM |
| Secondary Departure Window | 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM | 07:30 AM – 07:59 AM | 07:30 AM – 07:59 AM |
| Work From Home | 13.3% | 17.7% | 13.4% |
| Walked | 3.4% | 3.1% | 2.4% |
| Public Transit | 1.9% | 4.0% | 3.5% |
The average commute time in Whatcom County is 18.1 minutes, shorter than the 22.6 minutes in Washington.
1.9% commute by public transit, lower than the 4.0% in Washington. 3.4% commute by walking, higher than the 3.1% in Washington.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about commuting in Whatcom County, Washington.
Is commuting expensive in Whatcom County, Washington?
Commuters here spend an estimated 151 hours a year on the road, worth roughly $4,669 at a typical national wage. That's 20% less than the typical Washington commuter spends.
What time should you leave for work to avoid traffic in Whatcom County, Washington?
Traffic peaks between 07:30 AM – 07:59 AM in Whatcom County, Washington. Leaving before or after this window is the single easiest way to avoid the heaviest local congestion, though 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM also sees a secondary bump.
Where are the quickest and slowest commutes among counties in Washington?
Among counties in Washington, the shortest average commutes are in Columbia County (11.6 min), Walla Walla County (12.0 min), San Juan County (12.7 min). The longest are in Mason County (32.4 min), Wahkiakum County (30.7 min), Snohomish County (28.7 min).