Residential comparison · 13 facts
Auburn, WA vs Bellingham, WA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Auburn needs about $81,500 in Bellingham to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Bellingham, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $88,500 in Auburn.
A few differences
- Auburn is higher on median household income ($97,884 vs $66,755).
- Auburn is lower on cost of living index (121 vs 124).
- Bellingham is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,685/mo vs $1,819/mo).
Auburn vs Bellingham · facet by facet
| Facet | Auburn, WA | Bellingham, WA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $547,900 | $627,500 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,819/mo | $1,685/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.87% | 0.87% |
| State & local income tax | 0% | 0% |
| Sales tax | 9.4% | 9.4% |
| Cost of living index | 121 | 124 |
| Groceries index | 106 | 106 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $155/mo |
| Median household income | $97,884 | $66,755 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Crime index | 50/100 | 50/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 155 days | 155 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Auburn, WA · Bellingham, WA
Questions & answers
- Is Auburn cheaper than Bellingham?
- Auburn has the lower day-to-day cost index (121 vs 124 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Bellingham equals $85,000 in Auburn?
- A household earning $85,000 in Auburn needs about $81,500 in Bellingham to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Bellingham lifestyle costs about $88,500 in Auburn.