Bellingham and Mount Vernon-Anacortes receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Bellingham | Mount Vernon-Anacortes | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 230,503 | 131,328 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,784 | $89,263 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,361 | $45,140 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 109/sq mi | 76/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $585,800 | $545,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,555 | $1,536 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.7% | 70.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.3% | 30.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 11.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,071 | 393 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.6 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.9% | 5.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 83.0" | 83.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 93 mi | 70 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 28.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.4 | 42.1 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Bellingham
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Mount Vernon-Anacortes
Elevated or high exposure: volcanic activity, earthquake, coastal flooding.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Bellingham, WA Metro Area · Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology