Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Bellingham, WA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 22.4% of gross income.
Bellingham rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Washington state estimate).
About rent and a registered nurse salary
Rent is the single largest fixed cost most renters carry, and the rent-to-income ratio is the simplest measure of whether a city is livable on a given salary. For renters earning a typical registered-nurse income, the 30% rule supports about $2,360 a month in rent. That margin covers comfortable one-bedroom rent in the vast majority of US metros but tightens significantly in the highest-rent coastal cities, where rent can claim 40% or more of an RN paycheck. The per-city pages below show the local rent, the local nurse-pay estimate, and where that combination sits on the affordability scale.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Washington cities have lower median rent than Bellingham, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Bellingham
View full rent data for Bellingham, WA →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Bellingham, WA?
Median rent in Bellingham is $1,976 a month. A typical registered nurse in Washington earns about $105,818 a year, which makes that rent 22.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Bellingham?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Washington (~$105,818/yr) supports up to $2,645 a month in rent. Bellingham's current median rent is $1,976/mo, which leaves a $669/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Bellingham?
At an hourly equivalent of about $51 an hour, a registered nurse in Washington works roughly 38.8 hours a month to cover Bellingham's median rent of $1,976.
Where is rent cheaper than Bellingham for a registered nurse?
Nearby Washington cities with lower median rent include Ferndale ($1,971/mo), Shoreline ($1,971/mo), Port Orchard ($1,971/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.