Bellingham, WA · standard
ZIP Code 98226
Whatcom County, Washington - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 41,235
- 148/sq mi High-density area
- $79,375
- Median income Near-median income area
- $607,600
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 39.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Bellingham pairs an above-median household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 39%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 9%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 148
- people per sq mi
- 62%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98226 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 98226 (Bellingham, WA) rose +6.4% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 371.3 in 2023 to 395.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 98226 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Bellingham, Whatcom County, Washington, with 41,235 residents across 277.9 square miles, a density of 148 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 98226 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $79,375 (13% below the average Washington ZIP), while per-capita income is $45,504. The poverty rate is 12.0%, with unemployment at 4.3%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $607,600 (19% above the average Washington ZIP), while 62.4% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,620.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 39.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.1, and the average commute is 19 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Whatcom County, so 98226 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 98226
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Bellingham, WA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98226.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
228 establishments
- Construction
Construction
222 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
160 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
148 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
148 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 98226, 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
41,235
Population
277.9
Area (sq mi)
148
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 98226?
41.1
Median Age
49.3%
Male
50.7%
Female
10.5%
Foreign-Born
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?
$79,375
Median Household Income
-13% vs state ZIP avg
$45,504
Per Capita Income
12.0%
Poverty Rate
4.3%
Unemployment Rate
19.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 98226 ranks nationally
Bellingham, WA household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$79,375 Top 39% higher than 61% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
20,980housing units
20,980
Total Housing Units
20,048
Occupied Units
932
Vacant Units
2.31
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$607,600
Median Home Value
+19% vs state ZIP avg
$1,620
Median Rent
1995
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
+6.4%
YoY Change (2024)
395
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+295%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 98226 have increased 6.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +295% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.5% | 265 |
| 2021 | +15.1% | 305 |
| 2022 | +20.4% | 368 |
| 2023 | +1.0% | 371 |
| 2024 | +6.4% | 395 |
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 1,663 business establishments in ZIP 98226, employing approximately 24,112 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,415,997,000.
1,663
Businesses
24,112
Employees
$1.4B
Annual Payroll
19
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 228 | 13.7% |
| Construction | 222 | 13.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 160 | 9.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 148 | 8.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 148 | 8.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 141 | 8.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 131 | 7.9% |
| Manufacturing | 84 | 5.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 83 | 5.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 75 | 4.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 73 | 4.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 50 | 3.0% |
| Information | 41 | 2.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 31 | 1.9% |
| Educational services | 21 | 1.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 15 | 0.9% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 5 | 0.3% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 4 | 0.2% |
| Utilities | 3 | 0.2% |
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 98226 vs 98225 →
ZIP 98226 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98225
Bellingham (98225)
46,172 residents
- 98226
Bellingham (98226)
41,235 residents
- 98229
Bellingham (98229)
30,321 residents
- 98264
Lynden (98264)
18,893 residents
- 98247 9,072
Everson (98247)
9,072 residents
- 98276 450
Nooksack (98276)
450 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 98226 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 98226 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98264
Lynden (98264)
$103,638 median income
- 98276
Nooksack (98276)
$97,159 median income
- 98229
Bellingham (98229)
$90,945 median income
- 98247
Everson (98247)
$88,724 median income
- 98226
Bellingham (98226)
$79,375 median income
- 98225
Bellingham (98225)
$63,941 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 98226 ranks #5 of 6 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 98226, both outside WA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (41,235 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Whatcom County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 98226 in?
ZIP code 98226 (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 98226?
ZIP code 98226 in Bellingham, WA has a population of 41,235 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98226?
The median household income in ZIP 98226 is $79,375, which is 4% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98226?
The median home value in ZIP 98226 is $607,600, which is 118% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98226?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98226 is White at 73.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98226?
ZIP code 98226 has 1,663 business establishments employing approximately 24,112 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98226?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98226 are: Retail trade (228), Construction (222), Health care and social assistance (160). There are 19 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98226?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98226 increased by 6.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 295%. 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 98226?
In ZIP code 98226, 61.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 39.7% 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 98226?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98226 is 19.2 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 98226?
In ZIP code 98226, approximately 62.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 37.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98226?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98226 is 12.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 98226's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 98226 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Bellingham, WA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.