Whatcom County, Washington Housing Market Prices
Whatcom County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price About the same as the Washington median More expensive than 84% of counties in Washington$487,382
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Median rent 12% below the Washington median More expensive than 82% of counties in Washington$1,555
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Whatcom County | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $487,382 | $485,016 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 9.9% | 10.9% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,555 | $1,759 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 6.6% | 6.6% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Whatcom County is about the same as in Washington. Rent is about 12% lower than the Washington average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Whatcom County, up about 9.9% and 6.6% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Whatcom County rose about 68.0% between 2015 and 2024, from $925 to $1,555. Over the same span, rent in Washington rose about 73.4%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 5.9 yearly household incomes in Whatcom County.
Buying the median-priced home in Whatcom County costs roughly 26.1 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Whatcom County. The price-to-rent ratio in Washington is about 23.0.
| Metric | Whatcom County | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $487,382 | $485,016 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $82,153 | $98,224 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 5.9 | 4.9 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Whatcom County rose about 128.9%, while median household income rose about 59.9% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Whatcom County | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 57.9% | 59.1% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 33.0% | 33.6% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 9.2% | 7.3% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 13.0 | 14.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 |
Whatcom County has a homeownership rate of 57.9%, lower than the Washington average of 59.1%. Its housing vacancy rate is 9.2%, compared with 7.3% in Washington.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Whatcom County | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.40 people | 2.50 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1986 | 1983 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.3 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Whatcom County was built around 1986. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.3 rooms, staying for about 13.0 years on average.
Whatcom County, WA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Whatcom County, WA is the 3rd largest of the 5 counties compared here, 230,493 residents against a local median of 487,232. The measure that sets Whatcom County, WA apart most is median home price: $487,382, 17% below the local median of $586,948.
The counties themselves spread $421,164 on median home price, so Whatcom County, WA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Whatcom County, WA has the 4th highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whatcom County, WA | 230,493 | $487,382 #4/5 | $1,555 #4/5 | 63.7% #4/5 |
| Skagit County, WA | 131,328 | $412,493 | $1,536 | 70.1% |
| Snohomish County, WA | 843,136 | $550,004 | $1,948 | 68.2% |
| Island County, WA | 86,836 | $623,893 | $1,661 | 74.7% |
| King County, WA | 2,275,758 | $833,657 | $2,092 | 55.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Whatcom County, Washington.
What is the median home price in Whatcom County, Washington?
The median home price in Whatcom County, Washington is $487,382, about the same as the Washington average.
What is the average home price in Whatcom County, Washington?
The typical home price in Whatcom County, Washington, reported as the median sale price, is $487,382. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Whatcom County, Washington?
The median gross rent in Whatcom County, Washington is $1,555 per month, lower than the Washington average of $1,759.
What was the median gross rent in Whatcom County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Whatcom County, Washington was $1,119 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Whatcom County, Washington?
The price-to-rent ratio in Whatcom County, Washington is about 26.1, meaning it would take roughly 26.1 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Whatcom County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Whatcom County, Washington?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Whatcom County, up about 9.9% and 6.6% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Whatcom County, Washington?
57.9% of households in Whatcom County, Washington own their home, lower than the Washington average of 59.1%.
What is the vacancy rate in Whatcom County, Washington?
The housing vacancy rate in Whatcom County, Washington is 9.2%, higher than the Washington average of 7.3%.
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