Clark County vs Whatcom County
A side-by-side comparison of Clark County and Whatcom County: population, income, housing, and more.
Clark 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.
Clark County has the higher population (510,516 vs 228,432 in Whatcom County). Clark County has the higher median household income ($94,948 vs $80,989 in Whatcom County). Whatcom County has the higher median home value ($536,100 vs $487,900 in Clark County).
Population, income & housing
| Clark County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 510,516 | 228,432 |
| Median age | 38.9 yrs | 38.2 yrs |
| Median household income | $94,948 | $80,989 |
| Median home value | $487,900 | $536,100 |
| Median gross rent | $1,668 | $1,465 |
| Housing units | 201,114 | 101,928 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.2% | 63.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.0% | 38.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.1% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Clark County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 473,252 → 510,516 (+7.9%) | 220,821 → 228,432 (+3.4%) |
| Median household income | $75,253 → $94,948 (+26.2%) | $62,984 → $80,989 (+28.6%) |
| Median home value | $327,000 → $487,900 (+49.2%) | $345,700 → $536,100 (+55.1%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,261 → $1,668 (+32.3%) | $1,060 → $1,465 (+38.2%) |
Clark County
473,252510,516
$75,253$94,948
$327,000$487,900
$1,261$1,668
Whatcom County
220,821228,432
$62,984$80,989
$345,700$536,100
$1,060$1,465
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Clark County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.7% | 4.7% |
| 5 to 17 | 17.4% | 14.1% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.0% | 13.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.6% | 13.8% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.7% | 12.7% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.8% | 11.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.5% | 11.8% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 75 and over | 6.1% | 7.1% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Clark County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 73.5% | 76.1% |
| Black or African American | 2.0% | 0.8% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.3% | 1.7% |
| Asian | 4.7% | 4.2% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Some other race | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 6.1% | 6.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.0% | 10.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Clark County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 7.2% | 6.2% |
| High school graduate | 24.5% | 21.4% |
| Some college or associate's | 35.3% | 34.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 21.0% | 23.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 12.0% | 14.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Clark County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 70.4% | 70.2% |
| Carpooled | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| Public transit | 1.2% | 1.9% |
| Walked | 1.6% | 3.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.4% | 1.9% |
| Worked from home | 17.3% | 13.3% |
| Other means | 1.3% | 1.1% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Clark County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 67.0% | 63.3% |
| 1-unit, attached | 6.0% | 3.0% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.9% | 7.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 7.6% | 10.0% |
| 20 or more units | 9.3% | 10.1% |
| Mobile home & other | 4.1% | 6.5% |
Poverty & households
| Clark County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 12.7% |
| Average household size | 2.62 | 2.42 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 25 | 22 |
| Median year structure built | 1993 | 1988 |
Full profiles
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