Residential comparison · 13 facts
Bellingham, WA vs Kirkland, 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 Bellingham needs about $97,000 in Kirkland to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Kirkland, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $73,000 in Bellingham.
A few differences
- Kirkland is higher on median household income ($150,414 vs $66,755).
- Bellingham is lower on cost of living index (124 vs 162).
- Bellingham is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,685/mo vs $2,454/mo).
Bellingham vs Kirkland · facet by facet
| Facet | Bellingham, WA | Kirkland, WA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $627,500 | $1,115,400 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,685/mo | $2,454/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.87% | 0.87% |
| State & local income tax | 0% | 0% |
| Sales tax | 9.4% | 9.4% |
| Cost of living index | 124 | 162 |
| Groceries index | 106 | 106 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $155/mo |
| Median household income | $66,755 | $150,414 |
| 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: Bellingham, WA · Kirkland, WA
Questions & answers
- Is Bellingham cheaper than Kirkland?
- Bellingham has the lower day-to-day cost index (124 vs 162 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Kirkland equals $85,000 in Bellingham?
- A household earning $85,000 in Bellingham needs about $97,000 in Kirkland to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Kirkland lifestyle costs about $73,000 in Bellingham.