Who moves to Bellingham, and where they go
Every year the IRS counts how many people move between counties, based on the addresses on their tax returns. Here is what that shows for Whatcom County, WA, home of Bellingham, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.
- Moved in
- 9,370from other US counties
- Moved out
- 8,403to other US counties
- Net
- +967more arrivals than departures
- From abroad
- 184tax filers and dependents only
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Where newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 1,433 |
| Snohomish County, WA (Everett) | 760 |
| Skagit County, WA | 685 |
| Pierce County, WA (Tacoma) | 241 |
| Island County, WA | 194 |
| Spokane County, WA (Spokane) | 190 |
| Thurston County, WA | 165 |
| Clark County, WA (Vancouver) | 153 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 145 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 139 |
| Kitsap County, WA | 138 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 123 |
Where people go when they leave
| County | People |
|---|---|
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 1,026 |
| Skagit County, WA | 799 |
| Snohomish County, WA (Everett) | 666 |
| Pierce County, WA (Tacoma) | 244 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 232 |
| Spokane County, WA (Spokane) | 159 |
| Island County, WA | 145 |
| Thurston County, WA | 118 |
| Clark County, WA (Vancouver) | 117 |
| Kitsap County, WA | 117 |
| Multnomah County, OR (Portland) | 101 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 101 |
Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. 4,564 of the newcomers came from elsewhere in Washington and 4,806 from other states. Here are the long-distance moves only, more than 100 miles:
Long-distance newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Pierce County, WA (Tacoma) | 241 |
| Spokane County, WA (Spokane) | 190 |
| Thurston County, WA | 165 |
| Clark County, WA (Vancouver) | 153 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 145 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 139 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 123 |
| Multnomah County, OR (Portland) | 118 |
Long-distance movers go to
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Pierce County, WA (Tacoma) | 244 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 232 |
| Spokane County, WA (Spokane) | 159 |
| Thurston County, WA | 118 |
| Clark County, WA (Vancouver) | 117 |
| Multnomah County, OR (Portland) | 101 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 101 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 86 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to Bellingham come from?
Most people moving into Whatcom County, WA come from nearby counties, led by King County, WA (1,433 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is Pierce County, WA.
Where do people leaving Bellingham move to?
The top destination is King County, WA (1,026 people). Farther away, the most popular is Pierce County, WA.
Are more people moving to Bellingham or leaving?
Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 9,370 people moved into Whatcom County, WA from elsewhere in the US and 8,403 moved out, a net gain of 967 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).
Thinking about the move yourself? Compare Bellingham with any city it trades people with, like Bellingham vs Tacoma, Bellingham vs Spokane, Bellingham vs Vancouver, Bellingham vs Los Angeles.
Source: IRS Statistics of Income, county-to-county migration data for filing years 2022 to 2023, the latest available. Counts are people (the number of personal exemptions, which the IRS uses to approximate individuals): tax filers plus dependents whose address moved to a different county between the two filing years. People who do not file returns are not counted, and the IRS hides very small flows to protect privacy. Figures are for the whole county, not just the city of Bellingham.