Ferndale, WA · standard
ZIP Code 98248
Whatcom County, Washington - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 22,361
- 122/sq mi High-density area
- $91,060
- Median income Above-median income area
- $589,600
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 33.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Ferndale pairs an above-median household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 26%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 10%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 122
- people per sq mi
- 77%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 98248 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 98248 (Ferndale, WA) rose +6.8% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 344.1 in 2023 to 367.7 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 98248 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ferndale, Whatcom County, Washington, with 22,361 residents across 183.4 square miles, a density of 122 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 98248 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $91,060 (0% above the average Washington ZIP), while per-capita income is $46,916. The poverty rate is 10.3%, with unemployment at 3.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $589,600 (15% above the average Washington ZIP), while 76.7% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,469.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 33.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.7, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Whatcom County, so 98248 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 98248
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ferndale, WA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 98248.
- Construction
Construction
149 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
71 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
68 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
62 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 58
Other services (except public administration)
58 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 98248, Ferndale, 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
22,361
Population
183.4
Area (sq mi)
122
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 98248?
37.7
Median Age
49.4%
Male
50.6%
Female
13.0%
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?
$91,060
Median Household Income
+0% vs state ZIP avg
$46,916
Per Capita Income
10.3%
Poverty Rate
3.1%
Unemployment Rate
22.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 98248 ranks among Washington ZIPs
Ferndale, WA household income vs. every Washington ZIP code
Median household income among 547 reporting Washington ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$91,060 Top 42% higher than 58% of 547 Washington ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Washington 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
10,799housing units
10,799
Total Housing Units
10,083
Occupied Units
716
Vacant Units
2.81
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$589,600
Median Home Value
+15% vs state ZIP avg
$1,469
Median Rent
1994
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
+6.8%
YoY Change (2024)
368
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+268%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 98248 have increased 6.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +268% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.1% | 254 |
| 2021 | +15.6% | 294 |
| 2022 | +17.6% | 345 |
| 2023 | -0.4% | 344 |
| 2024 | +6.8% | 368 |
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 765 business establishments in ZIP 98248, employing approximately 9,545 people with a combined annual payroll of $614,162,000.
765
Businesses
9,545
Employees
$614.2M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 149 | 19.5% |
| Retail trade | 71 | 9.3% |
| Manufacturing | 68 | 8.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 62 | 8.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 58 | 7.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 55 | 7.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 51 | 6.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 50 | 6.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 44 | 5.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 44 | 5.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 40 | 5.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 29 | 3.8% |
| Educational services | 12 | 1.6% |
| Information | 11 | 1.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 7 | 0.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 7 | 0.9% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 4 | 0.5% |
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 98248 vs 98240 →
ZIP 98248 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
- 98248
Ferndale (98248)
22,361 residents
- 98230 15,710
Blaine (98230)
15,710 residents
- 98240 3,061
Custer (98240)
3,061 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 98248 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 98248 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 98240
Custer (98240)
$110,116 median income
- 98248
Ferndale (98248)
$91,060 median income
- 98230
Blaine (98230)
$86,623 median income
- 98225
Bellingham (98225)
$63,941 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 98248 ranks #2 of 4 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 98248, 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 (22,361 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 98248 in?
ZIP code 98248 (Ferndale) 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 98248?
ZIP code 98248 in Ferndale, WA has a population of 22,361 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 98248?
The median household income in ZIP 98248 is $91,060, which is 19% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 98248?
The median home value in ZIP 98248 is $589,600, which is 112% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 98248?
The largest racial group in ZIP 98248 is White at 77.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 98248?
ZIP code 98248 has 765 business establishments employing approximately 9,545 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 98248?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 98248 are: Construction (149), Retail trade (71), Manufacturing (68). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 98248?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 98248 increased by 6.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 268%. 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 98248?
In ZIP code 98248, 57.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.8% 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 98248?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 98248 is 22.4 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 98248?
In ZIP code 98248, approximately 76.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 23.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 98248?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 98248 is 10.3% 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 98248's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 98248 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Ferndale, WA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.