Whatcom County, WA

County

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2023 Population
228,432
0.843% 1-year growth
US Senator
Patty Murray
Democratic Party
US Senator
Maria Cantwell
Democratic Party
2023 Median Age
38.2
1.06% 1-year increase
2023 Poverty Rate
12.7%
1.27% 1-year decrease
2023 Median Household Income
$80,989
4.39% 1-year growth
2023 Median Property Value
$536,100
12.9% 1-year growth
2023 Employed Population
113,292
1.65% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Whatcom County, WA had a population of 228k people with a median age of 38.2 and a median household income of $80,989. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Whatcom County, WA grew from 226,523 to 228,432, a 0.843% increase and its median household income grew from $77,581 to $80,989, a 4.39% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Whatcom County, WA are White (Non-Hispanic) (76.1%), Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) (5.06%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (4.22%), Other (Hispanic) (4.08%), and Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) (2.76%).

None of the households in Whatcom County, WA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95.6% of the residents in Whatcom County, WA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Whatcom County, WA are Western Washington University (3,729 degrees awarded in 2023), Whatcom Community College (988 degrees), and Bellingham Technical College (724 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Whatcom County, WA was $536,100, and the homeownership rate was 63.5%.

Most people in Whatcom County, WA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Whatcom County, WA was 2 cars per household.

United StatesWashingtonBellingham, WA

Population & Diversity

Whatcom County, WA is home to a population of 228k people, from which 95.6% are citizens. As of 2023, 9.86% of Whatcom County, WA residents were born outside of the country (22.5k people).

In 2023, there were 15 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (174k people) in Whatcom County, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 11.6k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 9.63k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.6%
2023 Citizenship
95.3%
2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 95.6% of Whatcom County, WA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Whatcom County, WA was 95.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Whatcom County, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Whatcom County, WA
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    174k ± 862
  2. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
    11.6k ± 869
  3. Asian (Non-Hispanic)
    9.63k ± 612
10.4%
Hispanic Population
23.7k people

In 2023, there were 15 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (174k people) in Whatcom County, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 11.6k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 9.63k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

10.4% of the people in Whatcom County, WA are hispanic (23.7k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Whatcom County, WA as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Washington.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    248,556 ± 12,042 people
  2. India
    107,324 ± 7,987 people
  3. China
    89,838 ± 7,316 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Washington was Mexico, the natal country of 248,556 Washington residents, followed by India with 107,324 and China with 89,838.

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Foreign-Born Population

9.86%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
22.5k people
9.87%
2022 Foreign-Born Population
22.4k people

As of 2023, 9.86% of Whatcom County, WA residents (22.5k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Whatcom County, WA was 9.87%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Whatcom County, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    4,932 ± 468
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    2,496 ± 467
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    1,766 ± 319

Whatcom County, WA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.98 times greater than any other conflict.

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Economy

The economy of Whatcom County, WA employs 113k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Whatcom County, WA were Health Care & Social Assistance (15,422 people), Manufacturing (11,478 people), and Educational Services (11,331 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($108,239), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($84,858), and Public Administration ($77,039).

Employment

Occupations

113k
2023 Value
± 2,888
1.65%
1 Year growth
± 3.59%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Whatcom County, WA grew at a rate of 1.65%, from 111k employees to 113k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Whatcom County, WA, are Management Occupations (13,082 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (11,782 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (8,988 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Whatcom County, WA.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Washington (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

113k
2023 Value
± 2,888
1.65%
1 Year growth
± 3.59%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Whatcom County, WA grew at a rate of 1.65%, from 111k employees to 113k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Whatcom County, WA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (15,422 people), Manufacturing (11,478 people), and Educational Services (11,331 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Whatcom County, WA, though some of these residents may live in Whatcom County, WA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$57,808
Median earning men ± $2,113
$37,700
Median earning women ± $1,170

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($92,500), Information ($77,222), and Manufacturing ($69,435).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Information ($58,242), Public Administration ($57,646), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($55,233).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.
Y-Axis
3.62%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 3.58M people employed in Washington. This represents a 3.62% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.3%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Washington.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 680
    Construction
  2. 614
    Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  3. 379
    Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $719k
    Construction
  2. $698k
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  3. $649k
    Manufacturing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Washington went to Kamala Harris with 57.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (39%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.4%).

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing the state of Washington. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Voting results are not available for Whatcom County, WA. Showing the available data for Washington.
2024 Election Results
  1. Kamala Harris (57.2%)
    Democratic Party
  2. Donald J. Trump (39%)
    Republican Party
  3. Robert Kennedy (1.4%)
    Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Washington went to Kamala Harris with 57.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (39%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.4%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Washington for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from Washington

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.
Patty Murray
Senator from Washington3
Assumed office on January 3, 1993
Maria Cantwell
Senator from Washington1
Assumed office on January 3, 2001

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing Washington.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Washington over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Washington

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Washington have changed over time starting in 2008.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Whatcom County, WA awarded 5,605 degrees. The student population of Whatcom County, WA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 8,770 male students and 11,928 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Whatcom County, WA are White (3,730 and 67.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (562 and 10.2%), Two or More Races (474 and 8.62%), and Asian (331 and 6.02%).

The largest universities in Whatcom County, WA by number of degrees awarded are Western Washington University (3,729 and 66.5%), Whatcom Community College (988 and 17.6%), and Bellingham Technical College (724 and 12.9%).

The most popular majors in Whatcom County, WA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (386 and 6.89%), General Psychology (240 and 4.28%), and General Marketing & Marketing Management (154 and 2.75%).

The median tuition cost in Whatcom County, WA for a public four year colleges is $3,599 for in-state students and $6,524 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2023 in Whatcom County, WA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 91.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 24.5%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 20,698 (42.4% men and 57.6% women).

The line chart  shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 20,698 students enrolled in Whatcom County, WA, 42.4% men and 57.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 12,916 records, of which 57.1% were women and 42.9% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. General Psychology
    240 degrees awarded
  2. Environmental Science
    134 degrees awarded
  3. Other Multidisciplinary Studies
    128 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Whatcom County, WA was General Psychology with 240 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Whatcom County, WA according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. Western Washington University
    3,729 degrees awarded
  2. Whatcom Community College
    988 degrees awarded
  3. Bellingham Technical College
    724 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Western Washington University with 3,729 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 2,324 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Whatcom County, WA, which is 0.708 times less than the 3,281 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,730 degrees mean that there were 6.64 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 562 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($3,599) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,160) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($867) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.
Measure

In 2023, 1.05% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.06% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

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Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.
Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2023 were High School or Equivalent (1.42M), Some college (1.37M), and Bachelors Degree (1.36M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Whatcom County, WA was $536,100 in 2023, which is 1.77 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $475,000 to $536,100, a 12.9% increase. The homeownership rate in Whatcom County, WA is 63.5%, which is lower than the national average of 65%.

People in Whatcom County, WA have an average commute time of 22.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Whatcom County, WA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Whatcom County, WA is $80,989. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Whatcom County, WA was Census Tract 106, Whatcom County, WA with a value of $120,242, followed by Census Tract 103.03, Whatcom County, WA and Census Tract 107.01, Whatcom County, WA, with respective values of $112,931 and $108,051.

In 2024, 19.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Whatcom County, WA. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 0.773%.

Housing

Property

$536,100
Median Property Value 2023
±$9,388
$58,708
Median Property Taxes
±$1,731

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Whatcom County, WA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Whatcom County, WA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

63.5%
Homeownership
2023
68.7%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2023

In 2023, 63.5% of the housing units in Whatcom County, WA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 63%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Whatcom County, WA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.
Race/Ethnicity
Highest Median Household Income (Total)
  1. Census Tract 106, Whatcom County, WA
  2. Census Tract 103.03, Whatcom County, WA
  3. Census Tract 107.01, Whatcom County, WA

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Whatcom County, WA was Census Tract 106, Whatcom County, WA with a value of $120,242, followed by Census Tract 103.03, Whatcom County, WA and Census Tract 107.01, Whatcom County, WA, with respective values of $112,931 and $108,051.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Whatcom County, WA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$80,989
Median Household Income
± $2,462
92.4k
Number of Households
± 2,453

In 2023, the median household income of the 92.4k households in Whatcom County, WA grew to $80,989 from the previous year's value of $77,581.

The following chart displays the households in Whatcom County, WA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Whatcom County, WA is from Washington.
0.468
2023 Wage GINI in Washington
0.47
2022 Wage GINI in Washington

In 2023, the income inequality in Washington was 0.468 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.276% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Washington was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Washington in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Washington across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023
  1. Drove Alone (70.2%)
  2. Worked At Home (13.3%)
  3. Carpooled (8.11%)

In 2023, 70.2% of workers in Whatcom County, WA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (13.3%) and those who carpooled to work (8.11%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

22.1 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Whatcom County, WA have a shorter commute time (22.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.47% of the workforce in Whatcom County, WA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Whatcom County, WA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Whatcom County, WA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Whatcom County, WA have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2024, 19.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Whatcom County, WA. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 0.773%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

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Poverty & Diversity

12.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Whatcom County, WA (28.4k out of 223k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Whatcom County, WA is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Children in Poverty

In 2024, 11.2% of the children was living in poverty in Whatcom County, WA. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 7.5%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

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Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 194 in Whatcom County, WA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.96 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

94.4% of the population of Whatcom County, WA has health coverage, with 48.2% on employee plans, 17.6% on Medicaid, 14% on Medicare, 13.6% on non-group plans, and 1.02% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Whatcom County, WA see 1,064 patients per year on average, which represents a 6.5% decrease from the previous year (1,138 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1326 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 171 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,064 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Whatcom County, WA

Primary care physicians in Whatcom County, WA see an average of 1,064 patients per year. This represents a 6.5% decrease from the previous year (1,138 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Whatcom County, WA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.5% under 18 years, 25.4% between 18 and 34 years, 35.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

5.64%
Uninsured
48.2%
Employer Coverage
17.6%
Medicaid
14%
Medicare
13.6%
Non-Group
1.02%
Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Whatcom County, WA declined by 4.99% from 5.93% to 5.64%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Whatcom County, WA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2024, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 30.7 in Whatcom County, WA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Whatcom County, WA.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2024, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 25.3% in Whatcom County, WA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Whatcom County, WA.

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Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2024, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 8.01% in Whatcom County, WA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Whatcom County, WA.

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