Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham (/ˈbɛlɪŋhæm/ BEL-ing-ham) is the most populous city in, and county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It lies 21 miles (34 km) south of the U.S.–Canada border and in between Vancouver, British Columbia (located 52 miles (84 km) to the northwest) and Seattle (90 miles (140 km) to the south).
Bellingham | |
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Aerial view of Bellingham | |
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Flag Seal | |
| Nickname: City of Subdued Excitement (unofficial) | |
Location in Whatcom County and the state of Washington | |
Bellingham Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 48°45′7″N 122°28′43″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Whatcom |
| Incorporated | December 28, 1903 |
| Named for | Sir William Bellingham, 1st Baronet |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| • Mayor | Kim Lund |
| Area | |
| • City | 30.51 sq mi (79.02 km2) |
| • Land | 28.14 sq mi (72.88 km2) |
| • Water | 2.37 sq mi (6.14 km2) |
| Elevation | 69 ft (22 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • City | 91,482 |
| • Estimate (2022) | 93,896 |
| • Rank | US: 366th WA: 12th |
| • Density | 3,280.41/sq mi (1,266.58/km2) |
| • Urban | 114,473 (US: 275th) |
| • Metro | 226,847 (US: 200th) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes | 98225-98229 |
| Area codes | 360, 564 |
| FIPS code | 53-05280 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1512001 |
| Demonym | Bellinghamster |
| Website | cob |
The city had a population of 91,482 as of the 2020 census. It is the site of Western Washington University, Bellingham International Airport, and is the southern terminus of the Alaska Marine Highway system. Bellingham is the northernmost city with a population of more than 90,000 people in the contiguous United States.
The area around Bellingham Bay, named in 1792 by George Vancouver, is the ancestral home of several Coast Salish groups. European settlement in modern-day Bellingham began in the 1850s and several coal mining towns grew in later years. The city of Bellingham was incorporated in 1903 through the consolidation of several settlements, among them Fairhaven. Local industries shifted away from coal in the mid-20th century; the industrial areas of the Bellingham waterfront have undergone redevelopment into a mixed-use neighborhood since the 2000s.