Benton County vs Whatcom County
A side-by-side comparison of Benton County and Whatcom County: population, income, housing, and more.
Benton County and Whatcom County are counties in Washington. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Whatcom County has the higher population (228,432 vs 210,224 in Benton County). Benton County has the higher median household income ($87,316 vs $80,989 in Whatcom County). Whatcom County has the higher median home value ($536,100 vs $369,400 in Benton County).
Population, income & housing
| Benton County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 210,224 | 228,432 |
| Median age | 36.2 yrs | 38.2 yrs |
| Median household income | $87,316 | $80,989 |
| Median home value | $369,400 | $536,100 |
| Median gross rent | $1,256 | $1,465 |
| Housing units | 81,792 | 101,928 |
| Homeownership rate | 68.5% | 63.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.0% | 38.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.1% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Benton County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 197,518 → 210,224 (+6.4%) | 220,821 → 228,432 (+3.4%) |
| Median household income | $69,023 → $87,316 (+26.5%) | $62,984 → $80,989 (+28.6%) |
| Median home value | $235,800 → $369,400 (+56.7%) | $345,700 → $536,100 (+55.1%) |
| Median gross rent | $974 → $1,256 (+29.0%) | $1,060 → $1,465 (+38.2%) |
Benton County
197,518210,224
$69,023$87,316
$235,800$369,400
$974$1,256
Whatcom County
220,821228,432
$62,984$80,989
$345,700$536,100
$1,060$1,465
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Benton County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.5% | 4.7% |
| 5 to 17 | 19.9% | 14.1% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.5% | 13.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.4% | 13.8% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.4% | 12.7% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.1% | 11.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.7% | 11.8% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.6% | 11.4% |
| 75 and over | 6.0% | 7.1% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Benton County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 65.7% | 76.1% |
| Black or African American | 1.5% | 0.8% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.4% | 1.7% |
| Asian | 2.9% | 4.2% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Some other race | 0.7% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 3.8% | 6.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 24.8% | 10.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Benton County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 10.1% | 6.2% |
| High school graduate | 23.0% | 21.4% |
| Some college or associate's | 33.9% | 34.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 20.1% | 23.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 12.9% | 14.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Benton County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 75.0% | 70.2% |
| Carpooled | 10.3% | 8.1% |
| Public transit | 1.1% | 1.9% |
| Walked | 1.1% | 3.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 1.9% |
| Worked from home | 11.6% | 13.3% |
| Other means | 0.7% | 1.1% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Benton County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 63.4% | 63.3% |
| 1-unit, attached | 3.4% | 3.0% |
| 2 to 4 units | 7.2% | 7.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 7.9% | 10.0% |
| 20 or more units | 9.0% | 10.1% |
| Mobile home & other | 9.1% | 6.5% |
Poverty & households
| Benton County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 12.7% |
| Average household size | 2.71 | 2.42 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 22 | 22 |
| Median year structure built | 1987 | 1988 |
Full profiles
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