PlainZIP

Bellingham, WA · standard

ZIP Code 98225

Whatcom County, Washington - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

46,172
1,411/sq mi
$63,941
Median income
$631,200
Median home value
50.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Bellingham pairs a below-median household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

37th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 8%
home value, US ZIPs
1,411
people per sq mi
40%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98225 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 98225 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Bellingham, Whatcom County, Washington, with 46,172 residents across 32.7 square miles, a density of 1,411 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.

ZIP 98225 reports a modest median household income of $63,941 (30% below the Washington average), while per-capita income is $42,441. Poverty here runs at 23.2%, with unemployment measured at 6.7%. The typical home here is valued at $631,200 (23% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,523 monthly, and 40.3% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 50.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 31.8, and the average commute is 19 minutes. Beyond these figures, 3 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Whatcom County, letting you compare 98225 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 98225

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Bellingham, WA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98225.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 98225, Bellingham, WA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

46,172

Population

32.7

Area (sq mi)

1,411

People / sq mi

Los Angeles

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 98225?

31.8

Median Age

48.2%

Male

51.8%

Female

5.8%

Foreign-Born

White 81.1%
African American 1.2%
Asian 3.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.3%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.6%
Hispanic or Latino 9.2%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$63,941

Median Household Income

-30% vs state

$42,441

Per Capita Income

23.2%

Poverty Rate

6.7%

Unemployment Rate

18.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 98225 ranks nationally

Bellingham, WA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$63,941 37th percentile higher than 37% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 65.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 50.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

24,205

Total Housing Units

22,612

Occupied Units

1,593

Vacant Units

2.05

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 40.3%
Renter 59.7%

$631,200

Median Home Value

+23% vs state

$1,523

Median Rent

1976

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+10.9%

YoY Change (2024)

473

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+373%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 98225 have increased 10.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +373% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.5% 319
2021 +13.3% 362
2022 +19.4% 432
2023 -1.3% 426
2024 +10.9% 473

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 2,164 business establishments in ZIP 98225, employing approximately 25,554 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,518,802,000.

2,164

Businesses

25,554

Employees

$1.5B

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 384 17.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 334 15.4%
Accommodation and food services 246 11.4%
Retail trade 245 11.3%
Other services (except public administration) 198 9.2%
Construction 134 6.2%
Finance and insurance 114 5.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 109 5.0%
Manufacturing 76 3.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 74 3.4%
Wholesale trade 64 3.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 52 2.4%
Educational services 45 2.1%
Transportation and warehousing 29 1.3%
Information 29 1.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 14 0.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 12 0.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 98225 vs 98226 →

ZIP 98225 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 98225 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 98225 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 98225 ranks #4 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
98226 Bellingham, WA 41,235 4.7 mi
98229 Bellingham, WA 30,321 5.7 mi
98248 Ferndale, WA 22,361 9.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Whatcom County

98226 standard
Bellingham, WA
Pop: 41,235
98229 standard
Bellingham, WA
Pop: 30,321
98248 standard
Ferndale, WA
Pop: 22,361
98264 standard
Lynden, WA
Pop: 18,893
98230 standard
Blaine, WA
Pop: 15,710
98247 standard
Everson, WA
Pop: 9,072

Related Areas

Whatcom County Bellingham, WA Washington

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 98225 in? ▼
ZIP code 98225 (Bellingham) is located in Whatcom County, Washington. Whatcom County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/whatcom-wa.
What is the population of ZIP code 98225? ▼
ZIP code 98225 in Bellingham, WA has a population of 46,172 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98225? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 98225 is $63,941, which is 16% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98225? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 98225 is $631,200, which is 127% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98225? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 98225 is White at 81.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98225? ▼
ZIP code 98225 has 2,164 business establishments employing approximately 25,554 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98225? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98225 are: Health care and social assistance (384), Professional, scientific, and technical services (334), Accommodation and food services (246). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98225? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98225 increased by 10.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 373%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 98225? ▼
In ZIP code 98225, 65.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 50.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 98225? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98225 is 18.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 98225? ▼
In ZIP code 98225, approximately 40.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 59.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98225? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98225 is 23.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.