98226 ZIP Code — Bellingham, WA
Whatcom County, Washington
ZIP code 98226 is located in Bellingham, Washington, within Whatcom County. It covers approximately 105.80 square miles and serves a population of 45,703 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Pacific (PT) timezone, served by area code 360/564.
About ZIP code 98226
The housing stock consists of a mix of housing types. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $509,800. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 61%.
The gap between median ($71,943) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up. 33% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 20 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 38% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
45,703
population
105.80
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Pacific (PT)
timezone
98226 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 98226
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 98226. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Bellingham | Acceptable |
| Bellingham | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
98225 Bellingham (4 mi)
98229 Bellingham (7.6 mi)
98248 Ferndale (8.4 mi)
98247 Everson (9.9 mi)
98264 Lynden (10 mi)
98262 Lummi Island (11.3 mi)
98276 Nooksack (11.5 mi)
98240 Custer (12.8 mi)
98230 Blaine (14 mi)
98220 Acme (14.4 mi)
98295 Sumas (15.2 mi)
98232 Bow (15.6 mi)
Demographics
updated 06/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 45,703 |
| Population density | 432 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 53 |
| County FIPS | 073 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 105.80 sq mi |
| Water area | 8.28 sq mi |
| Latitude | 48.7908 |
| Longitude | -122.4642 |
| Timezone | Pacific (PT) |
| Area code | 360/564 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 06/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 34.3% | 37.7% | 31.7% |
| $50k – $100k | 35.5% | 33.5% | 30.6% |
| $100k – $200k | 25.5% | 23.7% | 27.1% |
| Over $200k | 4.8% | 5.1% | 10.6% |
Demographics & statistics
45,703
Population
432
People per sq mi
40.1
Median age
$71,943
Median household income
$42,017
Per capita income
$509,800
Median home value
$1,432
Median monthly rent
60.6%
Home ownership
11.5%
Poverty rate
4.6%
Unemployment
12,739
Housing units
37.7%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
1,130
Under 5
1,155
1,261
5–9
1,290
1,071
10–14
1,095
979
15–19
1,002
2,026
20–24
2,071
3,295
25–34
3,369
3,050
35–44
3,118
2,788
45–54
2,851
1,256
55–59
1,285
1,373
60–64
1,404
2,683
65–74
2,744
1,260
75–84
1,289
424
85+
434
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 8,178 | 17.9% |
| 18 and over | 37,525 | 82.1% |
| 65 and over | 8,834 | 19.3% |
| Median age | 40.1 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
71%
Two or more races
7.7%
Asian
6.1%
Hispanic or Latino
5.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native
5%
Other race
3.1%
Black or African American
1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.2%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 34,450 | 71% |
| Two or more races | 3,715 | 7.7% |
| Asian | 2,973 | 6.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,829 | 5.8% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 2,423 | 5% |
| Other race | 1,489 | 3.1% |
| Black or African American | 536 | 1.1% |
| Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | 117 | 0.2% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 34.3% | 37.7% | 31.7% |
| $50k – $100k | 35.5% | 33.5% | 30.6% |
| $100k – $200k | 25.5% | 23.7% | 27.1% |
| Over $200k | 4.8% | 5.1% | 10.6% |
Under $10k
2.6%
$10k–$15k
2.6%
$15k–$25k
8.0%
$25k–$35k
7.2%
$35k–$50k
8.3%
$50k–$75k
22.7%
$75k–$100k
12.2%
$100k–$150k
20.9%
$150k–$200k
7.6%
$200k+
7.9%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 2.6% |
| $10k–$15k | 2.6% |
| $15k–$25k | 8.0% |
| $25k–$35k | 7.2% |
| $35k–$50k | 8.3% |
| $50k–$75k | 22.7% |
| $75k–$100k | 12.2% |
| $100k–$150k | 20.9% |
| $150k–$200k | 7.6% |
| $200k+ | 7.9% |
| Median income | $71,943 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
3.2%
$50k–$100k
2.8%
$100k–$150k
2.3%
$150k–$200k
1.5%
$200k–$300k
6.1%
$300k–$500k
32.7%
$500k–$1M
45.0%
$1M+
6.3%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $509,800 |
| Median rent / month | $1,432 |
| Owner occupied | 60.6% |
| Renter occupied | 39.4% |
| Vacant | 5.0% |
| Single-family detached | 59.1% |
| Large apartment buildings | 12.0% |
| Mobile homes | 4.2% |
| Median rooms | 5.2 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.48 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.8% |
| 2010–2019 | 14.1% |
| 2000–2009 | 22.0% |
| 1990–1999 | 23.9% |
| 1980–1989 | 12.9% |
| 1970–1979 | 11.3% |
| 1960–1969 | 4.8% |
| 1950–1959 | 3.3% |
| 1940–1949 | 1.5% |
| 1939 or earlier | 5.3% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 3.5% |
| 1 bedroom | 9.6% |
| 2 bedrooms | 28.8% |
| 3 bedrooms | 39.0% |
| 4 bedrooms | 15.0% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 4.1% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 3.3% |
| 1 vehicle | 31.2% |
| 2 vehicles | 36.9% |
| 3 or more | 28.5% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 39.4% |
| Electricity | 44.6% |
| Propane / LP gas | 8.6% |
| Fuel oil | 1.7% |
| Wood | 4.8% |
| Solar | 0.2% |
| No fuel used | 0.3% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 9,375 | 48.5% |
| Cohabiting couple | 2,451 | 12.7% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 3,059 | 15.8% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 4,462 | 23.1% |
| Households with children under 18 | 5,022 | 26.0% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 6,274 | 32.4% |
| Average household size | 2.35 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 36.2% | 28.9% |
| Married | 52.5% | 49.2% |
| Separated | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Widowed | 2.7% | 7.5% |
| Divorced | 7.5% | 13.4% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
1.8%
Some HS, no diploma
4.7%
HS graduate
21.4%
Some college, no degree
24.3%
Associate's degree
10.2%
Bachelor's degree
24.0%
Graduate / professional
13.7%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 93.5% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 37.7% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 606 | 6.4% |
| Kindergarten | 753 | 7.9% |
| Elementary school | 3,563 | 37.5% |
| High school | 1,558 | 16.4% |
| College / grad school | 3,031 | 31.9% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
24.9%
Professional & management
11.9%
Arts, food & hospitality
10.5%
Manufacturing
9.1%
Construction
8.5%
Retail trade
8.4%
Transportation & utilities
5.4%
Finance & real estate
4.9%
Other services
4.7%
Public administration
4.6%
Wholesale trade
3.6%
Agriculture & mining
1.8%
Information
1.7%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 42.2% |
| Service | 18.3% |
| Sales & office | 17.4% |
| Natural resources & construction | 8.5% |
| Production & transportation | 13.6% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 73.9% |
| Government | 17.0% |
| Self-employed | 8.9% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.1% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 74.5% |
| Carpool | 10.4% |
| Public transit | 1.7% |
| Walk | 1.5% |
| Work from home | 10.0% |
| Other means | 1.9% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 19.6 |
Poverty
All people
11.5%
Under 18 years
18.1%
18 and over
10.1%
Married-couple families
3.5%
Female-led households
25.6%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 33.0% |
| Retirement income | 25.0% |
| Supplemental Security | 2.9% |
| Cash public assistance | 2.8% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 11.5% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 27.8% |
| High blood pressure | 29.8% |
| High cholesterol | 31.1% |
| Diabetes | 9.0% |
| Heart disease | 6.0% |
| Stroke | 3.0% |
| Asthma | 10.9% |
| Arthritis | 24.8% |
| Kidney disease | 2.9% |
| Pulmonary disease | 6.1% |
| Cancer | 6.6% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 15.7% |
| Binge drinking | 19.0% |
| No physical activity | 16.8% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 28.4% |
| Depression | 27.5% |
| Fair or poor health | 13.2% |
| Poor mental health | 15.3% |
| Poor physical health | 10.4% |
| No health insurance | 10.3% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 69.0% |
| Visited dentist | 67.2% |
| Cholesterol screening | 87.0% |
| Teeth loss | 11.5% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 2,585 | 6.9% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 11.3% |
| Under 18 | 4.2% |
| 18–64 years | 8.3% |
| 65 and over | 28.0% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 67.1% |
| Public insurance | 39.6% |
| No insurance | 6.9% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 2.8% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 43,418 | 95.0% |
| Spanish | 1,565 | 3.6% |
| Other Indo-European | 838 | 1.9% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 144 | 0.3% |
| Other languages | 557 | 1.3% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 40,688 | 89.0% |
| Born in same state | 39,761 | 87.0% |
| Born in different state | 22,783 | 49.9% |
| Foreign born | 927 | 2.0% |
| Naturalized citizen | 5,015 | 11.0% |
| Not a US citizen | 2,859 | 57.0% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| French | 5,500 | 12% |
| Italian | 3,875 | 8.5% |
| Polish | 2,419 | 5.3% |
| English | 1,702 | 3.7% |
| Arab | 726 | 1.6% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| German | 295 | 0.6% |
| Dutch | 272 | 0.6% |
| Irish | 76 | 0.2% |
| Norwegian | 53 | 0.1% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 42.3% |
| Internet access | 97.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 98226
What city is ZIP code 98226 in?
ZIP code 98226 is primarily assigned to Bellingham, Washington.
What county is ZIP code 98226 in?
ZIP code 98226 falls within Whatcom County, Washington.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 98226?
The median home value in ZIP code 98226 is $509,800.
What is the population of ZIP code 98226?
ZIP code 98226 has an estimated population of 45,703 residents, with a density of 432 people per square mile.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 98226?
The median household income in ZIP code 98226 is $71,943, below the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 98226 in?
ZIP code 98226 observes the PST timezone.