Generic filters

Pros and Cons of Living in Bellingham, Washington

Bellingham

City in Washington

LIVABILITY RATING

66

/ 100

Excellent
Very good
Average
Poor
Terrible

Submit a Review

City Scores and Ratings

C+

LIVABILITY

B+

COST

C-

EDUCATION

D+

CRIME

Events Nearby

Pros and Cons of Living in Bellingham

You might be looking to move to Bellingham, Washington or just interested in the city’s livability, so to help you, we’ve put together the pros and cons of living in Bellingham. This assessment ranks the factors used to assess livability and compares them against other cities on a national and state level. While this assessment should give a good detailed idea about the advantages and disadvantages of living in Bellingham, it might not incorporate all areas that might appeal to some people.

Since moving to a new city can be a big decision. Hopefully, this evaluation will help you in your career change, relocation, or just a change.

Summary of Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Details of Pros and Cons

Living in Bellingham, Washington

Bellingham is a mid sized city in the state of Washington which is located in the county of Whatcom. Bellinghamhas had great consistent growth of new residents over the past 5 year. This city is ranked as one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. The population has reached 87071 with a population growth rate of 2.0% in the last year and 10.7% in the last 5 years.Living in Bellingham has a urban feel, which can be generally more fast paced than the surrounding suburban areas but not as fast paced as more extremely packed cities. Usually there isn't a problem finding new things to do and your money goes a little further for the space compared to other cities.

City Type:

Urban

Home Value:

$347,100

Mortgage:

$1,681

The estimates above for a typical home value and mortgage are based on median values for the area. Data sources: American Community Survey and the US Census.

Is Bellingham, Washington a good place to live?

Yes, Bellingham is a great place to live. Bellingham ranks well in a combination of factors and diversity. Bellingham  truly has something for everyone, and that’s why it’s a great place to call home.

Ultimately, what makes a great city to live in is subjective. Some people might prefer a smaller city with a tight-knit community, while others might prefer a larger city with more options. The important thing is that a city provides what its residents need and want. If a city has everything a person is looking for, it can be a great place to live.

There are a lot of factors that make a city a good place to live. One of the most important is affordability. Housing costs shouldn’t consume too much of a person’s income. Another important factor is job availability. A city should have a healthy economy and a variety of jobs to choose from.

A city also needs to be safe. People should feel comfortable walking around at night and there shouldn’t be a lot of crime. Amenities are another important factor. A city should have a variety of restaurants, bars, and other places to go out. It’s also nice if a city has a lot of parks and green spaces.

Finally, a city should be diverse. There should be a variety of cultures and religions represented. People should feel welcome to live in any part of the city. A city that meets all these criteria is a great place to live.

Pros and Cons Details

Pros of Living in Bellingham

  • Livability – Bellingham’s overall livability score is above average. This rating is the sum of the city’s data points and factors, and then a weighting of these variables is used to determine a good standard quality of life compared to other cities. The livability score considers education, crime, cost of living, and residents’ overall happiness calculated as a predictive index through our advanced statistical models.
  • Cost of Living – When choosing a new place to live, the cost of living is a significant consideration. The cost of living in Bellingham is lower than the national average and most cities in the state. While some areas can be higher than others on a state and federal level, the overall average of housing costs, utilities, grocery items, transportation, health care, and miscellaneous goods and services are less expensive.
  • Crime – See our full report on crime in Bellingham, and why it is a significant pro and consideration for living here.
  • Education – See our full report on education in Bellingham, and why it is a significant pro and consideration for living here.

Cons of Living in Bellingham

Population & Growth

Population

87,071

1 Year Growth

2%

5 Year Growth

10.7%

Who is Living in Bellingham, Washington? Demographics

The city is filled with many young adults in their 20s and early 30s. The median age in the city is about 31 years old. The typical family has on average 2.9 people including children and parents. The city has a lot to offer with different cultures that can be seen throughout the city. In terms of diversity, on a national level, Bellingham ranks number 800 which is above the national average for diversity and on a state level ranks 32 which is above the state average.

 

 

Median Age:

30.8

Average Family Size:

2.9

People in Poverty %:

9.8%

Data sources: American Community Survey and the US Census.

A city’s demographics are important for a variety of reasons. From a business standpoint, knowing the age, income, and education level of a city’s residents can help companies to decide where to locate their businesses. It can also give them insight into what type of products or services will be in demand. For government officials, demographics can play a role in everything from budgeting to planning new infrastructure projects. And for individuals, it can be helpful to know the demographics of a city before moving there, as it can give you a sense of what to expect in terms of your neighbors and the overall atmosphere of the community.

Of course, demographics can also have some drawbacks. If a city’s residents are largely of one age group or income level, it can create challenges in providing adequate services and amenities. And if a city’s demographics change rapidly, it can be difficult for residents to keep up with the changing needs of the community. Nevertheless, knowing the demographics of a city is important for both individuals and businesses alike.

Population of Male and Female Residents

Male
 49.4%
Female
 50.6%

How Does Gender Imbalance Impact a City?

Gender imbalance is important when evaluating a city because it impacts many social aspects. So, what kind of impact on a city does gender imbalance have? According to many studies, there is no one exact answer to this question as it depends on the city and its specific situation. However, generally speaking, a city with a more balanced male-female population would be considered more stable and prosperous.

Studies about gender imbalances have shown that when there are too many or too few men in a population, it can lead to increased crime rates and other social problems. For example, in societies with a large gender imbalance, young men may be more likely to engage in criminal activity in order to prove their masculinity. Conversely, in societies with too many women, they may be at a disadvantage when competing for jobs and other resources.

Share:

Insight Pages for Bellingham

Overview

Education

Crime

Recent Insights about Cities in the US

Cities Near Bellingham

Ferndale

Everson

Lynden

Nooksack

Deming

Anacortes

Blaine

Everett

City Search

Generic filters

Write a Review

Bellingham Reviews

1.0
1.0 out of 5 stars (based on 1 review)
Excellent
Very good
Average
Poor
Terrible

Overpriced, outdated, crime ridden and poor services

September 10, 2024

Mum is the word in Bellingham when it comes to our many problems. While it is true that outdoor activities here are great most require you to travel far away from Bellingham to enjoy. In general, you need lots of money to live in and enjoy activities in Bellingham.

The recent statewide schools report shows that all schools statewide, including Bellingham, are failing to educate their students in any meaningful way academically. So tack on about $9K per kid per year to your expenses so you can send them to a better private school. It’s not because of a lack of money, Bellingham voters generally support the schools, it’s because academics are simply not a top priority to the administration.

Broadband services are awful and overpriced, making this a terrible place to live if you are a tech worker, and our crime rates are higher than Seattle. Housing is also totally unaffordable and since there is no income tax, high sales tax and property taxes are used to fund our corrupt government in an involuntary way . For example, when the government wants to steal more money from you here they simply lie about the cost of your home and raise your property taxes. Of course, this is done using a made up system called “fair market value” and in such a way that it harms the poor and middle class more than the wealthy. This also means that homelessness is out of control and not being addressed in any meaningful way by the local government who purchased a “party trailer” to tow to the homes of rich people at the height of their homelessness crisis. That is how immature the government here is. It’s basically a constant frat/sorority party done at the expense of the citizens.

Environmentalism is a total joke too. While every institution here will claim to be “working on it” most use self-certified standards to produce meaningless results while allowing developers, big-tech, etc. to mow down old growth forests and dump chemicals in salmon bearing streams. There is more, but you get the picture.

There is little work here, we do not have much diversity of work, and it generally does not pay well.

What we really have are fiefdoms that go back to the days when Southern Slave Owning Civil War generals, like Pickett, “settled” the area. These fiefdoms benefit very few people at the top at the expense of everyone else.

About 70% of people here are functionally poor. The “Democrats” are pretty much exactly the same as the Republicans on most issues, especially when it comes to protecting special interests. Both push Reagan era trickle down economic policies.

The local state university is also not well respected in most fields and expensive.

The 2 only things we have going for us is that we will probably have water until 2100 as climate change gets worse, an issue our institutions only address is virtually worthless ways, but so will the great lakes region where the cost of living, educational opportunities and more are generally much better. Also, the mountain biking here is good for about 1/2 of the year.

Remember though, it rains here for about 1/2 of the year and this city was voted one of the 50 worst cities to live in only a few years ago. Apparently Bellingham wants to remain on that list.

Stephen K

Know Everything About Your City with Citytistics

Citytistics is the go-to source for city data and insights. Whether you're looking to move to a new city or just want to know more about your current city, Citytistics has the information you need. We have data on cost of living, crime rates, and happiness levels so that you can make the best decision for where to live, work, and play.

About Us Contact Us

© Citytistics

Privacy Policy