Bellingham, WA
Safe Democratic — 231K residents — 1 counties
| Group | % |
|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 75.7% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(18) | 10.6% |
▶Black / African American(11) | 1.0% |
▶Asian(6) | 4.4% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(9) | 0.4% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(4) | 1.8% |
▶Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander(5) | 0.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 6.3% |
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents |
|---|---|---|
| Evangelical Protestant | 27.8% | 64.6% |
| Catholic | 7.0% | 16.2% |
| Other | 5.2% | 12.0% |
| Mainline Protestant | 3.0% | 6.9% |
| LDS (Mormon) | 2.5% | 5.8% |
| Orthodox Christian | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Non-religious | 57.0% | — |
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Harris+24.7 |
| 2020 | Biden+23.9 |
| 2016 | Clinton+17.4 |
| 2012 | Obama+13.9 |
| 2008 | Obama+17.9 |
| 2004 | Kerry+8.8 |
| 2000 | Bush+0.3 |
| 1996 | Clinton+3.0 |
| 1992 | Clinton+4.4 |
Bellingham, WA is a metro area that has a population of 230,503. In the 2024 presidential election, it voted Democratic with a margin of D+24.7. Akashic Edge tracks 34 presidential elections here, dating back to 1892.
| Year | Dem % | Rep % | Margin | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 60.4% | 35.7% | D+24.7 | D+0.8 |
| 2020 | 60.4% | 36.4% | D+23.9 | D+6.5 |
| 2016 | 53.2% | 35.8% | D+17.4 | D+3.6 |
| 2012 | 55.0% | 41.1% | D+13.9 | R+4.0 |
| 2008 | 57.7% | 39.8% | D+17.9 | D+9.0 |
| 2004 | 53.4% | 44.6% | D+8.8 | D+9.2 |
| 2000 | 46.1% | 46.5% | R+0.3 | R+3.3 |
| 1996 | 45.1% | 42.1% | D+3.0 | R+1.4 |
| 1992 | 41.8% | 37.4% | D+4.4 | D+0.9 |
| 1988 | 51.0% | 47.6% | D+3.5 | D+12.5 |
| 1984 | 44.7% | 53.7% | R+9.0 | R+2.6 |
| 1980 | 40.0% | 46.4% | R+6.4 | R+5.7 |
| 1976 | 47.4% | 48.0% | R+0.6 | D+18.8 |
| 1972 | 38.7% | 58.2% | R+19.5 | R+17.2 |
| 1968 | 44.9% | 47.1% | R+2.3 | R+32.2 |
| 1964 | 64.6% | 34.7% | D+29.9 | D+37.4 |
| 1960 | 45.4% | 52.8% | R+7.5 | D+1.5 |
| 1956 | 45.1% | 54.1% | R+8.9 | D+6.3 |
| 1952 | 41.8% | 57.1% | R+15.3 | R+18.4 |
| 1948 | 48.3% | 45.2% | D+3.1 | — |
What defines Bellingham, WA?
Bellingham, WA has been drifting steadily toward Democrats — 11pp bluer over the last 4 presidential cycles. It has a moderately diverse, middle-class electorate where education levels and suburban growth shape the partisan balance.
Constituent Counties
Similar metro areas
Counties in Bellingham, WA
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whatcom | 231K | D+24.7 | 83,295 | 49,213 | 137,868 | 100.0% |
Ask the Historian
Key Insights
- Has voted Democratic in the last 5 presidential elections
- Latest election (2024) was a Democratic landslide with a 24.7% margin
- Shifted 10.9 points toward Democrats over the last 4 elections
Who Lives Here
| Group | Bellingham, WA | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 75.7% | 57.4% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(18) | 10.6% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 6.3% | 4.0% |
▶Asian(6) | 4.4% | 6.0% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(4) | 1.8% | 0.9% |
▶Black / African American(11) | 1.0% | 12.2% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(9) | 0.4% | 0.9% |
▶Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander(5) | 0.3% | 0.2% |
Religious Adherents
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -52.9pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Evangelical-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Republican-leaning rural and exurban communities.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27.8% | 64.6% | — | — | |
| 7.0% | 16.2% | — | — | |
| 5.2% | 12.0% | — | — | |
| 3.0% | 6.9% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 2.5% | 5.8% | — | — |
| 0.1% | 0.2% | — | — | |
Non-religiousPopulation | 57.0% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Bellingham, WA metro area? 230,503 residents across 1 counties.
Demographics
39% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 6pp above the national average. Places with similar education levels vote D+8 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
Turnout in Bellingham, WA
How competitive is Bellingham, WA?
Do voters in Bellingham, WA split their tickets?
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| President vs Governor | D+24.7 | D+19.5 | 5.2pp |
| Senate vs Governor | D+23.3 | D+19.5 | 3.7pp |
| President vs Senate | D+24.7 | D+23.3 | 1.5pp |