Great place.............for the wealthy
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12/28/2016
Bellingham is God's country, don't get me wrong. What it has in beauty and things to do outdoors, it more than makes up for in cost of living and sources of revenue. We have lived here for 4 years now and we quickly figured out that the people that make ends meet here are those that come from "old money". A quick Sperling search will yield that the average house value is $375,000 and the average household income is $56,000. Not even close to making ends meet. Unless you are a successful real estate broker that has been in the area for a while, or an executive at BP, Phillips 66, Intalco or the College, good luck. Every other job in the area is under $20/hr. The schools are really behind national average, despite the ratings you see. We came from the Midwest when our child was in third grade. She is on the advanced side, but she finally started to learn new concepts in 6th grade. The elementary school she attended had an advanced program, but it consisted of sitting her in front of a computer. Overall, I think this is a great place to be if you have a ton of cash to blow, love fish, love the Seahawks and love nature. If not, seek out a city much closer to Seattle such as Bellvue as there are far more good paying jobs and a relatively cheaper cost of living.
John | Michigan City, IN