Washington · FIPS 53073 · ACS 2020–2024
Whatcom County, Washington property tax rate
Homeowners in Whatcom County paid a median of $4,087 a year in real estate taxes on a median home value of $585,800 (2020–2024 survey). Taxes came to 0.68% of home value, 10% below the Washington rate of 0.75% and 28% below the U.S. rate of 0.94%.
- 0.68%Effective tax rate±0.03% margin · Washington: 0.75%
- $4,087Median tax per yearWashington: $4,556 · U.S.: $3,119
- $585,800Median home valueWashington: $564,600
- 59,904Owner-occupied homes64% of households own
| Measure | Whatcom County | Washington | U.S. | Whatcom County 2019–2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effective tax rate | 0.68% | 0.75% | 0.94% | 0.69% | −0.01 pts |
| Median tax, all owners | $4,087 | $4,556 | $3,119 | $3,819 | +$268 (+7.0%) |
| Median tax, with a mortgage | $4,135 | $4,665 | $3,489 | $3,876 | +$259 (+6.7%) |
| Median tax, no mortgage | $3,987 | $4,298 | $2,576 | $3,713 | +$274 (+7.4%) |
| Median home value | $585,800 | $564,600 | $332,700 | $536,100 | +$49,700 (+9.3%) |
| Total taxes paid | $257,638,500 | $10,232,446,600 | $360,573,527,500 | $238,776,900 |
How Whatcom County compares
- Per $1,000 of home value, owners here paid about $6.80 a year, against $7.54 statewide and $9.40 nationally.
- Rank in Washington: 15 of 38 counties from lowest to highest effective rate (among those with reliable estimates). Nationally, 41% of 2,682 counties had a lower rate.
- Homes with a mortgage: 0.70% of value; homes without one: 0.65%. Median bills: $4,135 and $3,987.
- Compared with the 2019–2023 survey, the effective rate fell (−0.01 pts) and the median tax changed +$268 (+7.0%). The two 5-year surveys share four years of responses, so year-to-year moves are small and partly noise.
- Margin of error: the effective rate is 0.68% ± 0.03% at 90% confidence, from a sample of the 59,904 owner-occupied homes.
Washington counties with similar rates
| County | Effective rate | Median tax | Median value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelan County | 0.65% | $3,503 | $490,100 |
| Jefferson County | 0.65% | $3,818 | $535,000 |
| Island County | 0.66% | $3,999 | $593,300 |
| Kittitas County | 0.66% | $3,552 | $497,400 |
| Lewis County | 0.68% | $2,581 | $385,800 |
| Clallam County | 0.68% | $3,050 | $421,800 |
| Pacific County | 0.71% | $2,395 | $334,800 |
| Grays Harbor County | 0.71% | $2,512 | $314,000 |
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, table-based summary file: B25090 (aggregate real estate taxes), B25082 (aggregate home value), B25103 (median real estate taxes), B25077 (median home value) and B25003 (tenure); files dated January 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, same tables (files dated October 31, 2024), for the comparison column.
- Geography names: Census Bureau Geos20245YR.txt (file dated January 22, 2026).
Effective rate = total real estate taxes paid by owner-occupied homes ÷ their total value, as reported by owners to the Census Bureau. It is not a millage rate. Your bill depends on your assessed value, exemptions (such as homestead) and local levies.