Housing Report for Bellingham

The residential home values in Bellingham, Washington have seen large increases from the housing values in 2000. The residential values have increased by $92,700, or 59.5 percent, from 2000 when they had reported median values of $155,700.

In Bellingham, there were a total of 82,934 homes in 2005. The metro area has experienced a medium-high growth level in the number housing units, adding all together 7,112 housing units since the year 2001, or 9.4 percent.

It can be understood that there is a limited amount of housing that is affordable in Bellingham, Washington. In 2005, only 9.6 percent of residential real estate was valued under $125,000.

Bellingham recorded a median home value in 2005 of $248,400, accounted by the American Community Survey. This median is greater than the State of Washington 2005 home median value of $227,700 and greater than home value of $167,500 across the United States during the same year.

Throughout the State of Washington, Bellingham stands 2 of the 10 metro areas by percentage growth in residential real estate. The metro area is positioned 71 of 361, comparing the percentage change in residential real estate in other US MSAs.

Bellingham can be understood as having a relatively high proportion of residential real estate that is high priced. During the year 2005, the American Community Survey reported that 10.7 percent of owner-occupied dwellings were valued over a half a million dollars.

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Employment Report for Bellingham, Washington -- Annual 2005 Industry Summary

A well-paying sector in Bellingham is the utilities industry with wages that annually pay $56,922. Locally, since the year 2001, the annual average wages in the industry have declined by 0.3 percent or $167. The State of Washington shows a similar economic condition in the utilities industry, ranking near the top of sectors according to average 2004 industry pay.

Mining saw the biggest increase in jobs since the year 2001 in Bellingham, changing a total of 52.9 percent. This is greater than the industry job change at the national level of 4.7 percent. The State of Washington faced a industry job change of -0.3 percent, from 2001 to 2005.

In Bellingham, Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, Construction and Arts, entertainment, and recreation industries have the highest United States location quotient (LQ). The Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting industry has an LQ of 4.22. This means the percent of total employment in the Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting industry is 4.22 times greater than the US average, showing signs that Bellingham may specialize, or be an exporter of Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting.

In Bellingham, Retail Trade, Health care and social assistance, and the Manufacturing industries have the largest percent of jobs of all industries. The Retail Trade is the largest employment industry and makes up 15.4 percent of all jobs throughout the region, totaling 10,010 employees. The Health care and social assistance and Manufacturing industries make up 12.9 and 12.8 percent of the total jobs, respectively.

Mining has the largest businesses in Bellingham MSA, with the industry averaging 33 jobs per place of business. This is greater than the industry's average at the national level of 21 and greater than the State of Washington average establishment size of 19 for the Mining industry.







Datasource: U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW).