Rental numbers for Whatcom County, WA
The typical home here runs -$2,544 a month at 7.78% with 25% down. 0 of 7 ZIP codes with full Zillow data in this county are cash-flow positive; the median gross yield is 4.0%.
- Gross yield
- 3.9%
- typical home, Zillow
- Median ZIP yield
- 4.0%
- 7 ZIPs with full data
- Cash flow
- -$2,544/mo
- at 7.78%, 25% down
- Typical price
- $611,000
- Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
- Typical rent
- $1,984/mo
- Zillow ZORI, Aug 2026
ZIP codes in Whatcom County
16 with published figures
| 98230Blaine | $533,000 | $2,590 | 5.8% | 3.1% | -$1,476 | +2.4% |
| 98244Deming | $323,000 | $1,480* | 5.5% | 2.6% | -$1,035 | n/a |
| 98266Maple Falls | $385,000 | $1,580* | 4.9% | 2.6% | -$1,251 | n/a |
| 98276Nooksack | $511,000 | $1,980* | 4.7% | 2.1% | -$1,864 | n/a |
| 98281Point Roberts | $394,000 | $1,480* | 4.5% | 1.9% | -$1,483 | n/a |
| 98295Sumas | $450,000 | $1,540* | 4.1% | 1.7% | -$1,782 | n/a |
| 98248Ferndale | $616,000 | $2,058 | 4.0% | 1.6% | -$2,515 | +4.2% |
| 98264Lynden | $619,000 | $2,043 | 4.0% | 1.6% | -$2,532 | +0.9% |
| 98226Bellingham | $644,000 | $2,120 | 4.0% | 1.5% | -$2,672 | +1.0% |
| 98229Bellingham | $689,000 | $2,200 | 3.8% | 1.4% | -$2,910 | +4.1% |
| 98220Acme | $500,000 | $1,580* | 3.8% | 1.1% | -$2,232 | n/a |
| 98247Lynden | $606,000 | $1,875 | 3.7% | 1.3% | -$2,625 | n/a |
| 98262Lummi Island | $645,000 | $1,950* | 3.6% | 1.4% | -$2,746 | n/a |
| 98225Bellingham | $659,000 | $1,786 | 3.3% | 0.9% | -$3,033 | +2.6% |
| 98240Custer | $661,000 | $1,750* | 3.2% | 0.9% | -$3,046 | n/a |
| 98833Winthrop | $674,000 | $1,140* | 2.0% | -0.1% | -$3,689 | n/a |
* HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, where Zillow publishes no rent index. Conservative.
Trends
Five years to August 2026
- Price, 12 months
- +0.4%
- Rent, 12 months
- +2.5%
- Rent minus price growth
- +2.1 pts
- Property tax
- 0.70%
- effective rate, ACS 2024
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical value | Rent |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2021 | $536,964 | $1,582 |
| Aug 2022 | $604,997 | $1,755 |
| Aug 2023 | $583,732 | $1,840 |
| Aug 2024 | $601,167 | $1,899 |
| Aug 2025 | $608,491 | $1,936 |
| Aug 2026 | $610,710 | $1,984 |
HUD Fair Market Rent
FY2027, Bellingham, WA MSA
| Bedrooms | Studio | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4 bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair Market Rent | $1,489 | $1,529 | $1,872 | $2,545 | $3,129 |
The 40th percentile gross rent for a standard unit, set by HUD each October and used for Section 8 payment standards. It runs below market rent; Zillow's index is shown above where it exists.
Supply
- Permits per 1,000 households
- 11.7
- 1,097 units, last 12 months
- National percentile
- 76th
- among US counties
Tools
Test a listing in Whatcom County against today's rate.
Open the calculatorPart of the Bellingham, WA metro.
Questions
- Is Whatcom County good for rental property?
- The typical home here runs -$2,544 a month at 7.78% with 25% down. 0 of 7 ZIP codes with full Zillow data in this county are cash-flow positive; the median gross yield is 4.0%. The figures use a typical home, 7.78% with 25% down and default costs shown on each ZIP page. They describe the market, not any one property.
- What is the property tax rate in Whatcom County?
- About 0.70% of value, from Census ACS median taxes paid over median home value. On a $611,000 home that is about $4,263 a year.
- What is Fair Market Rent in Whatcom County?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent here is $1,529 for a 1-bedroom, $1,872 for a 2-bedroom and $2,545 for a 3-bedroom. Typical cash flow at today's rate is -$2,544 a month.
Sources and method
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), mid tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted
Zillow Research. Read: 2026-08.
Typical home value by ZIP, county, metro and state, and the price trend.
- Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), all homes plus multifamily, smoothed
Zillow Research. Read: 2026-08.
Typical market rent by ZIP, county and metro, and the rent trend (tier A pages).
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2026
US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Read: FY2026.
Rent by bedroom count for every ZIP. The rent used on tier B pages, and a reference on all pages. It is the 40th percentile gross rent, so it runs below market.
- HUD Fair Market Rents by county, FY2027
US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Read: FY2027.
County rent by bedroom count on county pages.
- American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (B25103 median real estate taxes paid, B25077 median home value, B11001 households)
US Census Bureau. Read: 2020 to 2024.
Effective property tax rate (median taxes paid divided by median value) by ZIP code tabulation area, county and state; households for the permits ratio.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, 30-year fixed (FRED series MORTGAGE30US)
Freddie Mac via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Read: 2026-09-24.
The weekly 30-year rate. The site adds a disclosed investor premium to it for the loan payment.
- Building Permits Survey, county monthly files
US Census Bureau. Read: 2025-09 to 2026-08.
New housing units permitted in the last 12 months per 1,000 households, a supply-pressure signal.
Data: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI), HUD, US Census Bureau, Freddie Mac. Every formula is on the methodology page.
Estimates from public data for a typical property. Not investment, tax or legal advice. Your property, financing and costs will differ.