Skip to content
Updated

Average Rent in Bellingham, WA

9 apartment buildings, 35 units. Real asking prices, refreshed daily.

Avg Rent

$1,800/mo

market average

Cheapest

$813/mo

Samish Commons

Properties

9

tracked daily

Units

35

available now

Bellingham, WA Resident Access

City Club members share insider gate codes, parking links, and amenity tips.

View

Analysis

Rent Price Breakdown

Compare pricing across all 9 properties in Bellingham, WA.

Average Rent by Property

Starting Price vs Average

Rent by Bedroom Count

Price per Square Foot

Bellingham, WA Rent Prices

All 9 properties ranked by lowest available rent.

Explore Each Property

Bellingham, WA Average Rent Prices 2026

The average rent in Bellingham, WA is $1,800 per month, based on 35 units across 9 apartment communities. Prices range from $813 at Samish Commons to $1,900 at Fairhaven Harbor.

Average Rent by Bedroom Type

Type Avg Rent Starting From Units
Studio $1,218/mo $998/mo 13
1 Bed $1,714/mo $813/mo 9
2 Bed $2,193/mo $1,341/mo 6
3 Bed $2,676/mo $1,730/mo 5
4 Bed $2,606/mo $1,711/mo 2

Every price is a real asking rent, updated that morning. Request a neighborhood we don't cover and we add it within 24 hours.

Market Context

Who rents in Bellingham, WA, and what they pay

Tracked one-bedroom rent in Bellingham, WA averages $1,714/mo, with two-bedroom units averaging $2,193/mo. At the local median household income of $65,821, that works out to 33% of gross income, above the 30 percent affordability ceiling, a stretched-budget market.

The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2023 release pegged median gross rent in Bellingham, WA at $1,478/mo. The current tracked market average runs 22% higher than that benchmark, reflecting both two to three years of rent growth and the fact that the Census figure covers all renter-occupied housing in Bellingham, WA while the tracked market average covers units currently listed in larger apartment communities.

What salary do I need to live comfortably in Bellingham, WA?

Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Minimum to afford average rent

$72,000/year

Based on the 30 percent rule, using our tracked average rent of $1,800/mo.

Comfortable income

$86,000/year

Based on the 25 percent rule, leaving more room for savings, transport, and groceries.

To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($813/mo), you need to earn at least $33,000/year.

Median household income in Bellingham, WA is $65,821 , about 24% below the comfortable-living threshold.

Cost of living in Bellingham, WA

Overall prices in Bellingham, WA runs above the national average by about 4% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 104.0, where 100 equals the U.S. average). The breakdown below estimates monthly costs for a single adult, using national consumer-spending baselines from the Bureau of Labor Statistics scaled by Bellingham, WA's regional price parities.

Category Monthly estimate
Rent (market average) $1,800
Utilities $471
Groceries $567
Transportation $1,123
Healthcare $548
Other goods and services $877
Estimated total $5,386/mo

Population

92,367

Median household income

$65,821

Census median rent

$1,478/mo

Rent as % of income

37.3%

Median age

34.5

Mean commute

19 min

Methodology

Rent data

Sourced directly from each tracked apartment community and refreshed every 24 hours. Every listed unit price on this page is real and listed today.

Cost of living

Estimates combine national consumer-spending baselines from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Survey) with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (MARPP dataset). Both are peer-reviewed federal data releases published annually.

Salary to live comfortably

Applies the standard 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income rule on top of the listed rent. This is the same affordability guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Demographic figures

Median household income, population, median age, commute time, Census median rent, and rent as percentage of income come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the most recent complete release.

Cost of living and demographic figures were last published in 2023.

Compare

Nearby cities in Washington

How Bellingham, WA rent compares to other markets in the state.

City Avg Rent vs Bellingham, WA Properties
Seattle, WA $2,909 +62% 51
Kennewick, WA $1,409 -22% 11
Vancouver, WA $2,216 +23% 10
Spokane Valley, WA $1,558 -13% 10
Richland, WA $1,651 -8% 10
Renton, WA $2,256 +25% 10

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Bellingham, WA?

The average rent in Bellingham, WA is $1,800 per month, based on 35 units across 9 apartment buildings tracked by Average Rent. Prices are refreshed daily.

What is the cheapest apartment rent in Bellingham, WA?

The lowest available rent in Bellingham, WA starts at $813 per month. Availability changes daily and prices are refreshed each morning.

How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Bellingham, WA?

1-bedroom apartments in Bellingham, WA average $1,714/mo. The lowest listed 1-bedroom starts at $813/mo across 9 units tracked.

How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Bellingham, WA?

2-bedroom apartments in Bellingham, WA average $2,193/mo. Units start from $1,341/mo across 6 units currently listed.

Rent Trends in Bellingham, WA

Track how apartment prices are changing over time.

View Rent Trends
Adding new buildings daily

Missing your neighborhood?

Tell us where you're looking. We'll start tracking prices within 24 hours.

Get Started

Looking for the best deal?

Find Your Match