Thurston County vs Whatcom County
A side-by-side comparison of Thurston County and Whatcom County: population, income, housing, and more.
Thurston 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.
Thurston County has the higher population (296,640 vs 228,432 in Whatcom County). Thurston County has the higher median household income ($93,985 vs $80,989 in Whatcom County). Whatcom County has the higher median home value ($536,100 vs $451,500 in Thurston County).
Population, income & housing
| Thurston County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 296,640 | 228,432 |
| Median age | 39.8 yrs | 38.2 yrs |
| Median household income | $93,985 | $80,989 |
| Median home value | $451,500 | $536,100 |
| Median gross rent | $1,634 | $1,465 |
| Housing units | 123,333 | 101,928 |
| Homeownership rate | 67.8% | 63.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.2% | 38.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.1% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Thurston County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 279,711 → 296,640 (+6.1%) | 220,821 → 228,432 (+3.4%) |
| Median household income | $72,003 → $93,985 (+30.5%) | $62,984 → $80,989 (+28.6%) |
| Median home value | $287,900 → $451,500 (+56.8%) | $345,700 → $536,100 (+55.1%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,218 → $1,634 (+34.2%) | $1,060 → $1,465 (+38.2%) |
Thurston County
279,711296,640
$72,003$93,985
$287,900$451,500
$1,218$1,634
Whatcom County
220,821228,432
$62,984$80,989
$345,700$536,100
$1,060$1,465
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Thurston County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.4% | 4.7% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.7% | 14.1% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.6% | 13.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.3% | 13.8% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.3% | 12.7% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.9% | 11.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.4% | 11.8% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 75 and over | 7.0% | 7.1% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Thurston County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 70.6% | 76.1% |
| Black or African American | 3.2% | 0.8% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.9% | 1.7% |
| Asian | 5.7% | 4.2% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Some other race | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 7.7% | 6.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.3% | 10.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Thurston County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 5.5% | 6.2% |
| High school graduate | 22.1% | 21.4% |
| Some college or associate's | 35.2% | 34.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 23.0% | 23.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 14.2% | 14.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Thurston County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 69.2% | 70.2% |
| Carpooled | 8.2% | 8.1% |
| Public transit | 1.4% | 1.9% |
| Walked | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.5% | 1.9% |
| Worked from home | 17.3% | 13.3% |
| Other means | 1.4% | 1.1% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Thurston County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 67.2% | 63.3% |
| 1-unit, attached | 4.3% | 3.0% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.9% | 7.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 7.3% | 10.0% |
| 20 or more units | 6.7% | 10.1% |
| Mobile home & other | 8.6% | 6.5% |
Poverty & households
| Thurston County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.7% | 12.7% |
| Average household size | 2.50 | 2.42 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 26 | 22 |
| Median year structure built | 1991 | 1988 |
Full profiles
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