Whatcom County, Washington
16 ZIP codes · Avg score 94/100 · Grade A · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Whatcom County: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
Tracking 16 ZIP codes in Whatcom County shows a water safety record well above the national median - violations are isolated exceptions, not recurring patterns.
How Whatcom County Compares
How Whatcom County Compares
Whatcom County scores 8 points above the Washington state average (86/100) and 21 points above the national average (73/100).
Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData Last verified:
ZIP Code Risk Map
Water Quality Map: Whatcom County, Washington
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Key Risk Factors
Health risk index: 10.8 (asthma 10.7%, diabetes 8.8%)
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,740, driven primarily by flood
44.7% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
Violation History (2021–2025)
↑ Worsening trendEPA violation counts by year across Whatcom County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.
Peak year: 2024 with 6 violations. Past 5 years: 17 total (17 health-based). Health-based violations are rising versus the prior 2-year window - worth closer monitoring.
Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.
County Health Indicators vs National Average
Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Infrastructure Overview
Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINS infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,740
Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).
Housing Age Distribution
75,692 housing units in Whatcom County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).
Water Safety Affordability
How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Whatcom County
Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Whatcom County, representing a small fraction of property value.
Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.
Health Outcomes vs National Average
CDC PLACES data for Whatcom County residents
Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Water systems serving Whatcom County
8 community water systems serving Whatcom County.
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Show all 8 water systems
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33 total water systems serve Whatcom County.
Systems with the most violations in Whatcom County
5 water systems with recorded EPA violations.
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All ZIP Codes in Whatcom County
16 ZIP codes tracked in Whatcom County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 98266 | Maple Falls | 100 | A | 0 | $358K |
| 2 | 98229 | Bellingham | 99 | A | 3 | $565K |
| 3 | 98226 | Bellingham | 98 | A | 5 | $568K |
| 4 | 98247 | Everson | 92 | A | 15 (9 health) | $514K |
| 5 | 98264 | Lynden | 92 | A | 15 (10 health) | $538K |
| 6 | 98230 | Blaine | 89 | A | 23 (10 health) | $468K |
| 7 | 98248 | Ferndale | 86 | A | 31 (10 health) | $550K |
| 8 | 98220 | Acme | — | — | $461K | |
| 9 | 98227 | Bellingham | — | — | — | |
| 10 | 98231 | Blaine | — | — | — | |
| 11 | 98240 | Custer | — | — | 22 (10 health) | $566K |
| 12 | 98244 | Deming | — | — | 0 | $432K |
| 13 | 98262 | Lummi Island | — | — | 12 (10 health) | $529K |
| 14 | 98276 | Nooksack | — | — | 0 | $485K |
| 15 | 98281 | Point Roberts | — | — | 1 | $461K |
| 16 | 98295 | Sumas | — | — | 12 (9 health) | $408K |
Recommended Buyer Guides for Whatcom County
Filtered against federal data, fitted to local risks.
- Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap
- Best Sump Pumps — Flood is the top compound risk factor
- Best Mold Test Kits — Flood-driven moisture and mold risk
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Whatcom County, Washington
Overview
Whatcom County in Washington covers 16 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of A (94/100) across 7 scored records.
10 of 13 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. 20 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
← Back to Washington Home Safety Profile
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- PFAS screening: EPA UCMR 5
- Radon zones: EPA Map of Radon Zones
- Air quality: EPA AirData annual AQI
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.