• Renter Tools
    • Favorites
    • Saved Searches
  • Manage Rentals
  • Apartments For Rent
    • Bellevue Apartments For Rent
    • Bellingham Apartments For Rent
    • Everett Apartments For Rent
    • Kent Apartments For Rent
    • Lakewood Apartments For Rent
    • Olympia Apartments For Rent
    • Redmond Apartments For Rent
    • Seattle Apartments For Rent
    • Shoreline Apartments For Rent
    • Tacoma Apartments For Rent
  • Houses For Rent
    • Bellevue Houses For Rent
    • Bothell Houses For Rent
    • Frederickson Houses For Rent
    • Graham Houses For Rent
    • Kent Houses For Rent
    • Lacey Houses For Rent
    • Marysville Houses For Rent
    • Olympia Houses For Rent
    • Puyallup Houses For Rent
    • Redmond Houses For Rent
  • Condos For Rent
    • Bellevue Condos For Rent
    • Bellingham Condos For Rent
    • Bothell Condos For Rent
    • Bremerton Condos For Rent
    • Edmonds Condos For Rent
    • Everett Condos For Rent
    • Kent Condos For Rent
    • Kirkland Condos For Rent
    • Lynden Condos For Rent
    • Lynnwood Condos For Rent
  • Townhomes For Rent
    • Bellevue Townhomes For Rent
    • Bothell Townhomes For Rent
    • Bremerton Townhomes For Rent
    • Edmonds Townhomes For Rent
    • Everett Townhomes For Rent
    • Issaquah Townhomes For Rent
    • Kenmore Townhomes For Rent
    • Kirkland Townhomes For Rent
    • Lacey Townhomes For Rent
    • Lynnwood Townhomes For Rent
  • Help Center
  • Cost of Living in Bellingham
  • Area Guide
  • Rent Calculator
  • Property Management Companies

Language

Apartments.com Logo
Manage Rentals      Sign Up / Sign In
Add a Property

Rental Market Trends in Bellingham, WA

What is the average rent in Bellingham, WA?

$1,542/month

Average Rent

611 Sq Ft

Average Apartment Size

+3.4%

Increase in the Last Year

As of September 2025, the average rent in Bellingham, WA is $1,542 per month. For comparison, the national average rent price in the US is currently $1,639/month, which means Bellingham rent prices are 6% lower than the national average. When you rent an apartment in Bellingham, you can expect to pay about $1,387 per month for a studio, $1,542 for a one-bedroom apartment, and around $1,871 for a two-bedroom apartment. If you opt for a three-bedroom rental, you could pay $2,339 or more.

Floor Plan Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Studio
$1,387/month
449 Sq Ft
One Bedroom
$1,542/month
611 Sq Ft
Two Bedroom
$1,871/month
906 Sq Ft
Three Bedroom
$2,339/month
1,148 Sq Ft
Floor Plan Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Two Bedroom
$2,458/month
1,121 Sq Ft
Three Bedroom
$3,002/month
1,539 Sq Ft
Four Bedroom
$3,659/month
1,678 Sq Ft
Floor Plan Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Floor Plan Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Two Bedroom
$2,034/month
1,141 Sq Ft

How much has average rent changed in Bellingham, WA?

In the past year, rent has increased by 3.4%, which averages out to $53 more per month.

Market Trends Over Time   The chart below compares average rent prices to the previous year during the same time period.
Last Updated September 2025
Legend
2024 2025
Market Trends Over Time
Rent Ranges in Bellingham, WA
Last Updated September 2025
$1,501 - $2,000
Most rental prices fall within this range
Rent Ranges in Bellingham, WA
Percentage*
Rent Range
1% Below $700/month
3% $700 - $1,000/month
25% $1,001 - $1,500/month
48% $1,501 - $2,000/month
22% Above $2,000/month

Rent by Neighborhood

Last Updated Today
  • Most Affordable
  • Most Expensive
  • Most Available

What are the most affordable neighborhoods in Bellingham?

Based on current rent prices, Happy Valley, Samish Hill and Downtown Bellingham are the most affordable neighborhoods in Bellingham.

Calculate Rent Affordability
Neighborhood
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Happy Valley
$1,533/month
490 Sq Ft
Samish Hill
$1,554/month
499 Sq Ft
Downtown Bellingham
$1,670/month
542 Sq Ft
North Bellingham
$1,774/month
620 Sq Ft

What are the most expensive neighborhoods in Bellingham?

Based on current rent prices, North Bellingham, Downtown Bellingham and Samish Hill are the most expensive neighborhoods in Bellingham.

Calculate Rent Affordability
Neighborhood
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
North Bellingham
$1,774/month
620 Sq Ft
Downtown Bellingham
$1,670/month
542 Sq Ft
Samish Hill
$1,554/month
499 Sq Ft
Happy Valley
$1,533/month
490 Sq Ft

Which Bellingham neighborhoods have the most rentals available?

The neighborhoods in Bellingham with the most apartments available are North Bellingham, Samish Hill and Happy Valley .

Calculate Rent Affordability
Neighborhood
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
North Bellingham
$1,774/month
620 Sq Ft
Samish Hill
$1,554/month
499 Sq Ft
Happy Valley
$1,533/month
490 Sq Ft
Downtown Bellingham
$1,670/month
542 Sq Ft
This information is based on data collected by CoStar Group researchers.†

What salary do I need to live comfortably in Bellingham, WA?

Because the average rent in Bellingham is $1,542, you’ll want to make about $5,140 per month or $61,680 per year. The general guideline is to pay no more than 30 percent of your monthly income on rent. However, you’ll want to consider additional factors, such as your monthly bills and other expenses. Use our rent affordability calculator to help determine how much to budget for rent.

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Bellingham, WA is 20.8% higher than the national average. Generally, housing in Bellingham is 40.1% more expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $1,387 - $2,339. You can expect to pay 6.6% more for groceries, 3.3% less for utilities, and 19.7% more for transportation.

City

Bellingham, WA

628 Available Apartments for Rent

Search for Nearby Apartments

How does Bellingham, WA compare to other nearby cities and neighborhoods?

Use the tool below to compare Bellingham, WA to other nearby cities and neighborhoods. The Apartments.com neighborhood guides provide you with insight into the area’s transportation, things to do, and more.

Explore the Area Guide for Bellingham, WA

Apartment Averages

Happy Valley

Bellingham, WA

North Bellingham

Bellingham, WA

Studio
$1,449/month
$1,436/month
One Bedroom
$1,289/month
$1,589/month
Two Bedroom
$1,679/month
$1,915/month
Three Bedroom
$2,415/month
$2,260/month
Search
Search

Nearby City Rent Trends

  • Ferndale Average Rent
  • Lynden Average Rent

Apartment communities in Bellingham we think you'll love

Park Place Apartments

Park Place Apartments

3928 Northwest Ave,
Bellingham, WA 98226

$1,895 - $2,695

1-2 Beds

The Wilder

The Wilder

900 N Forest St,
Bellingham, WA 98225

$855 - $1,402

1-4 Beds

Kerf Apartments

Kerf Apartments

208 N Samish Way,
Bellingham, WA 98225

$1,553 - $2,971

Studio - 2 Beds

Celestia

Celestia

430 W Stuart Rd,
Bellingham, WA 98226

$1,600 - $2,672

Studio - 2 Beds

Property Management Companies in Bellingham, WA

PTLA Real Estate Group
PTLA Real Estate Group
  • 32

    Communities

  • 2,088

    Units

  • 7

    Cities

14 Communities in Bellingham
Landmark Real Estate Management
Landmark Real Estate Management
  • 12

    Communities

  • 594

    Units

  • 3

    Cities

9 Communities in Bellingham
Coast Property Management
Coast Property Management
  • 60

    Communities

  • 7,037

    Units

  • 30

    Cities

2 Communities in Bellingham
Inland Group
Inland Group
  • 36

    Communities

  • 5,820

    Units

  • 32

    Cities

1 Community in Bellingham
Campus Advantage
Campus Advantage
  • 37

    Communities

  • 8,372

    Units

  • 29

    Cities

1 Community in Bellingham
11Residential
11Residential
  • 31

    Communities

  • 3,119

    Units

  • 26

    Cities

1 Community in Bellingham
Olympic Management Company
Olympic Management Company
  • 51

    Communities

  • 4,471

    Units

  • 22

    Cities

1 Community in Bellingham
Devco Residential Group
Devco Residential Group
  • 38

    Communities

  • 9,134

    Units

  • 18

    Cities

1 Community in Bellingham

Learn More with Helpful Articles

Non-Monetary Factors to Consider When Renting or Buying a Home

Money isn't the only matter.

5 Tips For Moving into Your First Apartment

Move in stress-free - the first time's a charm!

How Much Should I Spend on Rent?

It's time to break down your budget and calculate costs.

Moving Out of State: How to Start Your Apartment Search in a New State

Go the distance and find your new home.

Explore the Renterverse

Rental management, simplified

Our all-in-one suite of property manangement software makes the rental process easy. Screen tenants, manage payments, and more – all on Apartments.com

Start managing your rentals
United States Washington Bellingham Rental Trends

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 September 2025.

* Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.

  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Legal Notices
  • Privacy Notice
  • Avoid Scams
  • Accessibility
  • Blog
  • Sitemap
apartments.com
© 2025 CoStar Group, Inc. Equal Housing Opportunity

Equal Housing Opportunity

© 2025 CoStar Group, Inc.

Equal Housing Opportunity