How much rent can you afford in Bellingham, WA?
Run your salary against Bellingham's current rent, or find the income you'd need for a target rent. Powered by live RentDataNow medians.
The 30% rent rule, in Bellingham
At a median rent of $1,976/mo, Bellingham is moderately stretched when measured against Bellingham median household income of $66,755/yr. Rent would consume roughly 36% of pre-tax income, and a salary of about $79,040 keeps rent at the recommended 30% threshold.
How Bellingham compares nearby
Median rent for the closest cities with data.
Frequently asked
How much rent can I afford in Bellingham?
On a $66,755 salary (the Bellingham median household income), the recommended ceiling is 30% of pre-tax income, or about $1,669/mo. Bellingham's median rent is $1,976/mo. Use the calculator on this page to run your own salary.
What salary do I need to live in Bellingham?
To keep Bellingham's $1,976/mo median rent under 30% of income, you'd need about $79,040/yr. Lower your target share (e.g. 25%) to need more, or raise it (e.g. 40%) to need less.
Is Bellingham affordable on the median Washington income?
Bellingham is moderately stretched on a $66,755 income. Rent would take 36% of pre-tax pay, outside the recommended 30% threshold.
What's the 30% rent rule?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that keeps rent at or below 30% of gross (pre-tax) income. It leaves enough room for utilities, transit, savings, and debt service. In high-cost markets, many renters exceed 30%, and the Census Bureau classifies households paying more than 30% of income on rent as "cost-burdened".