Whatcom County, Washington


Whatcom County is a county located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Washington, bordered by the Lower Mainland of the Canadian province of British Columbia to the north, Okanogan County to the east, Skagit County to the south, San Juan County across Rosario Strait to the southwest, and the Strait of Georgia to the west. Its county seat and largest population center is the coastal city of Bellingham. Whatcom County is coterminous with the Bellingham, WA Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 226,847.
The county was created from Island County by the Washington Territorial Legislature in March 1854. It originally included the territory of present-day San Juan and Skagit counties, which were later independently organized after additional settlement. Its name derives from the Lummi word Xwotʼqom, also spelled , perhaps meaning 'noisy' or 'noisy water' and referring to a waterfall. Whatcom County has a diversified economy with a significant agricultural base, including approximately 60% of the nation's annual production of raspberries.

History

The Whatcom County area has had known human habitation for at least twelve millennia. At least three aboriginal tribes have been identified in the area: Lummi, Nooksack and Semiahmoo.
This area was part of the Oregon Country at the start of the nineteenth century, inhabited both by fur prospectors from Canada and Americans seeking land for agricultural and mineral-extraction opportunities. Unable to resolve which country should control this vast area, the Treaty of 1818 provided for joint control. In 1827 the Hudson's Bay Company established Fort Langley near present Lynden.
By 1843, the Provisional Government of Oregon had been established, although at first there were questions as to its authority and extent. During its existence, that provisional government formed the area north of the Columbia River first into the Washington Territory, and then into two vast counties: Clark and Lewis. In 1852, a portion of Lewis County was partitioned off to form Thurston County, and in 1853 a portion of the new county was partitioned off to form Island County.
The Washington Territory was formed as a separate governing entity in 1853. In 1854, that legislature carved several counties out of the existing counties, including Whatcom County on March 9, 1854, with area taken from Island County. The original county boundary was reduced in 1873 by the formation of San Juan County, and again in 1883 by the formation of Skagit County.
In 1855 the settlers erected a blockhouse west of Whatcom Creek, to protect against forays from the aboriginal inhabitants who were attempting to defend their homelands. That year the Treaty of Point Elliott was signed, which assigned the Lummi and Semiahmoo peoples a greatly-restricted reserved area.
The short-lived Fraser Canyon Gold Rush caused a short-term increase in the county's population, which briefly swelled to over 10,000 before the bubble burst.
In 1857 the federal government began the field work necessary to establish the national border between the United States and Canada, which had been agreed on as the forty-ninth parallel in this area, and which would also mark the north line of Whatcom County. As the work moved east, several of the workers chose to remain in the area as settlers.

Border crossings

Whatcom County's northern border is the Canada–US border with the Canadian province of British Columbia. Adjoining the county on the north are the Metro Vancouver suburbs of Delta, Surrey, Langley, the central Fraser Valley city of Abbotsford and the rural Fraser Valley Regional District.
The border crossing points are :
Several shopping malls and other services in Bellingham and elsewhere in the county are geared to cross-border shopping and recreation.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and, or 16%, is covered by water.
Western Whatcom County is part of the Fraser Lowland, the plain of the Fraser River, most of which is in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. At some periods in the past, one of the Fraser River's distributaries may have entered Bellingham Bay near Bellingham at or near the modern-day mouth of the Nooksack River.
The remainder of Whatcom County is in the Cascade Range, including Mount Baker.
In their foothills is Lake Whatcom, which is drained by Whatcom Creek into Bellingham Bay.
A small part of the county, Point Roberts, about, is an extension of the Tsawwassen Peninsula, which is bisected by the Canada–US border along the 49th parallel. The highest point in the county is the peak of the active volcano Mount Baker at above sea level. The lowest points are at sea level along the Salish Sea, an arm of the Pacific Ocean.

Geographic features

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 226,847.
Of the residents, 19.6% were under the age of 18, 18.6% were 65 years of age or older, and the median age was 38.2 years.
For every 100 females there were 96.6 males and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.7 males.
71.4% of residents lived in urban areas and 28.6% lived in rural areas.
The racial makeup of the county was 77.6% White, 1.0% Black or African American, 2.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 4.5% Asian, 0.3% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.3% from some other race, and 9.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 10.1% of the population.
There were 90,123 households in the county, of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 25.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 100,064 housing units, of which 9.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 61.7% were owner-occupied and 38.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 3.5%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 201,140 people, 80,370 households, and 48,862 families resided in the county. The population density was. The 90,665 housing units averaged. The racial makeup of the county was 85.4% White, 3.5% Asian, 2.8% American Indian, 1.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 3.3% from other races, and 3.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 7.8% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 20.8% were German, 12.8% were Irish, 12.6% were English, 8.0% were Dutch, 6.9% were Norwegian, and 4.4% were American.
Of the 80,370 households, 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 39.2% were not families, and 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.43, and the average family size was 2.97. The median age was 36.6 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $49,031 and for a family was $64,586. Males had a median income of $47,109 versus $34,690 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,407. About 7.8% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 166,814 people, 64,446 households, and 41,116 families resided in the county. The population density was. The 73,893 housing units averaged. The racial makeup of the county was 88.41% White, 0.69% Black or African American, 2.82% Native American, 2.78% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 2.49% from other races, and 2.66% from two or more races. About 5.21% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of people of European ancestry, 15.5% identified as German, 9.2% as English, 8.2% as Dutch, 7.9% as Irish, 7.0% as Norwegian, and 6.6% as United States or American ancestry.
Of the 64,446 households, 30.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.20% were married couples living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.20% were not families. About 25.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the county, the population was distributed as 24.10% under the age of 18, 14.20% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 11.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,005, and for a family was $49,325. Males had a median income of $37,589 versus $26,193 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,025. About 7.80% of families and 14.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.20% of those under age 18 and 8.30% of those age 65 or over.