ZIP Code · WA

ZIP 98225

Part of Bellingham, WA

Pop. 50,216·Whatcom County·156th most expensive ZIP in Washington

Median rent (all units)

$1,776/mo

Year-over-Year

+2.5%

Month-over-Month

+0.1%

vs US Median

-$156

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 98225 · $1,776

More affordable than 53% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,480

1 BR

$1,510

2 BR

$1,820

3 BR

$2,530

4 BR+

$3,050

Research median

$1,820/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

December. Asking rents in ZIP 98225 usually run 1.7% below trend in December and 1.7% above it in May, about $60 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 98225 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in November 2020.

Past year vs. the rest of Washington

Rent in ZIP 98225 changed +2.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 193 Washington ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.5%.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 7 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($63,941) is $1,599 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,510); a 2-bedroom is $1,820.

Rank in Bellingham

1st cheapest of 3 ZIP codes in Bellingham.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 98225. 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.

Annual cost

$21,312/yr

At $1,776/mo median

Location

CityBellingham

StateWA

CountyWhatcom County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (2.5% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+2.5% YoY, +0.1% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 98225 (Bellingham, WA) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 50.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

50,216

Median income

$63,941

Median age

31.8

Renters

59.7%

Age distribution

42.7%

21.2%

15.6%

Under 1811.1%

18–3442.7%

35–5421.2%

55–649.4%

65+15.6%

Gender

48.2%

51.8%

Male48.2%

Female51.8%

Race & ethnicity

81.1%

White81.1%

Black1.2%

Hispanic9.2%

Asian3.8%

Other4.7%

Education (25+)

15.3%

30.4%

50.1%

No HS diploma4.2%

HS diploma15.3%

Some college30.4%

Bachelor's+50.1%

Housing tenure

40.3%

59.7%

Owner40.3%

Renter59.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 98225 in Bellingham, WA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,315 → $1,776

up 35.1%

Income

$55,672 → $63,941

up 14.9%

Population

50,046 → 50,216

up 0.3%

Renter share

58.1% → 59.7%

+1.6 pts

Bachelor's+

47.4% → 50.1%

+2.7 pts

Median age

30.7 → 31.8

+1.1 yrs

Across the past five years, the going rent in ZIP 98225 in Bellingham, WA has shifted from $1,315 to $1,776, up 35.1% since 2021. Median household income climbed from $55,672 to $63,941 between 2021 and 2024, a 14.9% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The renter share has risen from 58.1% to 59.7%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 47.4% to 50.1% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 98225 in Bellingham, WA reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.

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About renting in ZIP 98225

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 98225 covers Bellingham, WA. The median rent here is $1,776/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,510/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,820/mo.

At 33% of local median household income ($63,941/yr), ZIP 98225 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.5% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 98225?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $71,000/year (about $34/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,776/mo in ZIP 98225. The local median household income is $63,941/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 98225?

Rent in ZIP 98225 has risen 2.5% over the past year as of September 2026. That is the highest level since Zillow's records here began in November 2020.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 98225?

Asking rents in ZIP 98225 are usually lowest in December, about 1.7% below their yearly trend, and highest in May, about 1.7% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $60 a month. This pattern comes from 5 years of Zillow rent data.

How does ZIP 98225 compare to other ZIPs in Washington?

ZIP 98225 is one of the more affordable among Washington ZIP codes for rent, ranking #156 of 207 at $1,776/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 98225 changed +2.5%, against a typical +2.5% across the 193 Washington ZIP codes Zillow tracks.