HEAD TO HEAD
Bellingham vs Seattle
Bellingham leads Seattle on 3 of 5 factors — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
Bellingham, WA
wins 3 of 5 factors
Seattle, WA
wins 2 of 5 factors
Match scores, side by side
| Factor | Bellingham | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable to buy | 66 ◆ | 57 |
| Affordable to rent | 57 ◆ | 50 |
| Climate comfort | 54 | 58 ◆ |
| Plenty of sunshine | 27 ◆ | 26 |
| Big-city amenities | 50 | 97 ◆ |
By the numbers
| Figure | Bellingham | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $621K | $750K |
| Typical rent | $2,041/mo | $2,232/mo |
| Average temperature | 9.6°C | 10.5°C |
| Sunshine (solar) | 3.48 kWh/m²/day | 3.42 kWh/m²/day |
| Metro size rank | #205 | #15 |
Home & rent Zillow, May 2026 · climate & sunshine NASA POWER climatology. Scores are normalised 0–100 across all metros; higher is better. A research aid, not advice.