98229 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98229
98226
Opportunity
69 · Top 22%
vs65 · Top 30%
Growth
59 · Top 35%
vs59 · Top 35%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 42%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
57 · Bottom 19%
vs48 · Bottom 11%
Access
49 · Bottom 3%
vs45 · Bottom 2%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs57 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | 98229 | 98226 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,298 | 46,782 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $90,945 | $79,375 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,213 | $45,504 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 664/sq mi | 442/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $633,500 | $607,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,670 | $1,620 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.7% | 62.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.1% | 39.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 12.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 621 | 621 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.6 | 6.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.4% | -18.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 73°F | 73°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.7" | 34.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 81 mi | 88 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 20.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 41.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.12 | 17.82 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 33.3% | 42.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
98229
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98226
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98229 — Bellingham, WA · 98226 — Bellingham, WA · How this is calculated: methodology