Western Washington University

Bellingham, WA

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Western Washington University - Bellingham, WA Area Guide

World-class education with the distinct personality of the Pacific Northwest

Public Bike-Friendly Scenic Coastal Nature Outdoors Vikings Suburban

Ninety miles north of Seattle on the shore of Bellingham Bay, Western Washington University is widely recognized as one of the region’s top institutions. In addition to its more traditional academic resources, the university features some unusual facilities, including an electronic music studio and an acclaimed Vehicle Research Institute. Downtown Bellingham is just a few blocks north of campus, giving you easy access to the charming community’s restaurants, coffeehouses, and specialty shopping. In many ways, Bellingham is a perfect college town: The scenery and access to nature are unbeatable, breweries and beer bars are everywhere, the nightlife is practically tailor-made for the campus crowd, and quirky local traditions (like the annual ski/kayak/bike/canoe/running “Ski to Sea” relay race from Mount Baker to the bay) make for a one-of-a-kind community and a truly unique collegiate experience. The neighborhoods surrounding the campus are full of apartments, condos, and rental houses to suit any budget, making it easy to find the perfect living arrangements within a short walk of the university.

Rent Trends

As of April 2026, the average apartment rent in Bellingham, WA is $1,398 for a studio, $1,562 for one bedroom, $1,882 for two bedrooms, and $2,343 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Bellingham has increased by 0.9% in the past year.

  • Studio

  • 439 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,398/month

    Average Rent

  • 1 BR

  • 610 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,562/month

    Average Rent

  • 2 BR

  • 901 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,882/month

    Average Rent

  • 3 BR

  • 1,154 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $2,343/month

    Average Rent

Getting Around

Fairly Walkable

Walkability

40 / 100

Limited Public Transit

Transit

20 / 100

Exceptionally Drivable

Drivability

90 / 100

Fairly Bikeable

Bikeability

50 / 100

Daily Essentials

Supermarket Within a 15 Minute Walk

Groceries

60 / 100

Fair Restaurant Variety Nearby

Restaurants

50 / 100

Limited Café Variety Nearby

Cafes

30 / 100

Limited Variety of Shops Nearby

Shopping

30 / 100

Local Vibe

Mostly Calm Atmosphere

Vibrancy

20 / 100

Limited Nightlife Variety Nearby

Nightlife

30 / 100

Not Noisy

Quiet Score

100 / 100

Schools

Geneva Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

432 Students

Parkview Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

399 Students

Wade King Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

346 Students

Lowell Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

303 Students

Silver Beach Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

349 Students

Kulshan Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

623 Students

Fairhaven Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

597 Students

Whatcom Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

600 Students

Shuksan Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

579 Students

Lummi Elementary School

Public

Grades K-8

277 Students

Sehome High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,163 Students

Bellingham High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,218 Students

Squalicum High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,280 Students

Meridian High School

Public

Grades 9-12

487 Students

Options High School

Public

Grades 9-12

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • WWU Planetarium
  • Sehome Hill Arboretum
  • Franklin Park
  • Fairhaven Village Green
  • MindPort

Airports

  • Bellingham International

Top Apartments Near Western Washington University

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Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.

Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.