Rents are 11% below what Bellingham's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,908 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Bellingham usually run 1.4% below trend in December and 1% above it in May, about $46 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Bellingham is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Bellingham changed +2.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 97 Washington cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Bellingham rose 41.9% while median household income rose 25% ($53,396 to $66,755). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Bellingham is 40.4% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 5 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($66,755) is $1,669 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,637); a 3-bedroom is $2,293.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Bellingham, 98229 ($2,178/mo), costs 23% more than the cheapest, 98225 ($1,776/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Bellingham. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Bellingham, WA is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, 48.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Bellingham, WA has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Bellingham, WA has shifted from $1,428 to $1,908, up 33.6% since 2021. Census figures show median household income at $66,755 today, compared with $59,163 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Bellingham, WA adding about 2,893 residents over the five-year window, up 3.2% on net. The renter share has risen from 53.6% to 55.4%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 46.4% to 48.5% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Bellingham on your salary?
At $1,908/mo, how Bellingham rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Bellingham rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Bellingham. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Bellingham
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Bellingham is $1,908/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,343/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,637/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,377/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,293/mo.
At 34% of local median household income ($66,755/yr), Bellingham ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Bellingham rent compare to other cities in Washington?
At $1,908/mo, rent takes ~34% of Bellingham's median household income ($66,755/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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