Electric companies in Whatcom County, Washington
Whatcom County, WA ranks 2nd of 39 Washington counties for ice storm risk, FEMA score 97.1. Whatcom County, WA has 228,432 residents. Whatcom County, WA: 1 utility listed by EIA. Whatcom County, WA: home electricity prices of 14.63 cents per kWh.
Whatcom County, WA on the map
Whatcom County, WA darker: more storm events
Outage risk in Whatcom County, WA
Whatcom County, WA has no NWS storm events for 2015 to 2025.
Events by year in Whatcom County, WA
events a year, Whatcom County, WA
- 0'15
- 0'16
- 0'17
- 0'18
- 0'19
- 0'20
- 0'21
- 0'22
- 0'23
- 0'24
- 0'25
| Whatcom County, WA | FEMA | Score | Rank | Events | Peak | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whatcom County, WA, thunderstorm and high wind | Very Low | 2.2 | 34 of 39 | 0 | none | $0 |
| Whatcom County, WA, tornado | Very Low | 13.1 | 15 of 39 | 0 | none | $0 |
| Whatcom County, WA, ice storm | Very High | 97.1 | 2 of 39 | 0 | none | $0 |
| Whatcom County, WA, winter storm and heavy snow | Relatively Moderate | 82.5 | 8 of 39 | 0 | none | $0 |
| Whatcom County, WA, heat wave | Relatively Moderate | 78.9 | 14 of 39 | 0 | none | $0 |
Whatcom County, WA, no score or events: hurricane and tropical storm.
ZIP codes in Whatcom County, WA
- 98220
- 98225
- 98226
- 98229
- 98230
- 98240
- 98244
- 98247
- 98248
- 98262
- 98264
- 98266
- 98276
- 98281
- 98283
- 98295
Electric utilities in Whatcom County, WA
| Utility listed for Whatcom County, WA | Type | Home price ¢/kWh | Yearly bill at 955 kWh | Share of Whatcom County, WA median income of $80,989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puget Sound Energy Inc in Whatcom County, WA | Investor Owned | 14.63 | $1,678 | 2.07% |
Prices are statewide utility averages, not a county price.
Facts about Whatcom County, WA
- Residents of Whatcom County, WA, ACS 2023
- 228,4329 of 39 Washington counties
- Households in Whatcom County, WA
- 92,4112.47 people each
- Owner-occupied homes in Whatcom County, WA
- 63.5%58,708 owner and 33,703 renter households
- Median household income in Whatcom County, WA
- $80,98913 of 39 Washington counties
- Housing units in Whatcom County, WA
- 101,9289,517 vacant or seasonal, 9.3% of the units
- Homes heated by electricity in Whatcom County, WA
- 45.6%42,121 homes, 34 of 39 Washington counties
- Utilities listed for Whatcom County, WA
- 11 with a home price: Puget Sound Energy Inc
- Home price in Whatcom County, WA
- 14.63 ¢/kWhPuget Sound Energy Inc
- ZIP areas touching Whatcom County, WA
- 1698220 to 98295
- Outage-linked storm events in Whatcom County, WA
- 0NWS storm events, 2015 to 2025
- Homes built before 1980 in Whatcom County, WA
- 40.5%median year built 1988
- Flood claims in Whatcom County, WA
- 698NFIP 2015 to 2025, $46.1M paid
- Home energy burden in Whatcom County, WA
- 1.9%$924 a year on electricity (DOE LEAD)
Electricity price since 2015 in Whatcom County, WA
Puget Sound Energy Inc charged Whatcom County, WA homes 10.44 ¢/kWh in 2015. Whatcom County, WA: 14.63 ¢ in 2024, 40% up. Whatcom County, WA: against 31% up for the Washington average.
Whatcom County, WA: a 955 kWh month at that price. Whatcom County, WA: $100 in 2015, $140 in 2024. Whatcom County, WA: $1,678 a year, 2.1% of the $80,989 median income.
Whatcom: 10 yearly prices
| Year | Puget Sound Energy Inc, Whatcom County, WA | Whatcom: Gap to Washington average | Whatcom: Gap to U.S. average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015, Whatcom | 10.44 | +1.35 | -2.21 |
| 2016, Whatcom | 11.12 | +1.64 | -1.43 |
| 2017, Whatcom | 11.27 | +1.61 | -1.62 |
| 2018, Whatcom | 10.93 | +1.18 | -1.94 |
| 2019, Whatcom | 10.59 | +0.88 | -2.42 |
| 2020, Whatcom | 10.80 | +0.93 | -2.35 |
| 2021, Whatcom | 11.48 | +1.37 | -2.18 |
| 2022, Whatcom | 11.76 | +1.50 | -3.28 |
| 2023, Whatcom | 13.30 | +2.32 | -2.70 |
| 2024, Whatcom | 14.63 | +2.73 | -1.85 |
Whatcom County, WA: EIA-861 home prices, 2015 to 2024, not a Whatcom County, WA price.
CSVHousing and heating in Whatcom County, WA
Whatcom County, WA: 41,297 of 101,928 homes were built before 1980 and 31,514 in 2000 or later. Whatcom County, WA has 64,570 detached houses, 20,575 homes in 5+ unit buildings, 6,596 mobile homes, and 33,703 of 92,411 households rent.
Age of homes in Whatcom County, WA
% of homes by decade built, Whatcom County, WA
- 11pre-40
- 240s
- 450s
- 660s
- 1770s
- 1280s
- 1790s
- 1800s
- 1210s
- 220+
Heating fuel in Whatcom County, WA
| Whatcom County, WA | Value | State median | Gap | Rank (1 = highest) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whatcom County, WA, median year built | 1988 | 1984 | +4 years | 7 of 39 |
| Whatcom County, WA, built before 1980 | 40.5% | 46.4% | -5.8 points | 29 of 39 |
| Whatcom County, WA, built 2000 or later | 30.9% | 25.7% | +5.2 points | 7 of 39 |
| Whatcom County, WA, detached houses | 63.3% | 72.4% | -9.0 points | 35 of 39 |
| Whatcom County, WA, apartments in 5+ unit buildings | 20.2% | 7.6% | +12.6 points | 5 of 39 |
| Whatcom County, WA, mobile homes | 6.5% | 11.5% | -5.0 points | 31 of 39 |
| Whatcom County, WA, renter households | 36.5% | 29.4% | +7.1 points | 6 of 39 |
| Whatcom County, WA, median home value | $536,100 | $370,500 | +$165,600 | 4 of 39 |
| Whatcom County, WA, median gross rent a month | $1,465 | $1,119 | +$346 | 8 of 39 |
| Whatcom County, WA, people per household | 2.42 | 2.45 | -0.03 | 22 of 39 |
Cost of living with electricity in Whatcom County, WA
Whatcom County, WA: electricity $924 a year per home (DOE LEAD), all home energy $1,749, 1.9% of $93,163 income. 91,171 households in Whatcom County, WA spend about $84.2 million a year on electricity and $159.5 million on all home energy. Lower-income homes in Whatcom County, WA ($23,821 a year) spend 5.4% of income, 2.9 times the all-home figure.
Energy burden in Whatcom County, WA
| Whatcom County, WA | Homes | Income | Power | Gas | Other | Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whatcom County, WA, all households | 91,171 | $93,163 | $924 | $750 | $75 | 1.9% |
| Whatcom County, WA, lower income | 26,722 | $23,821 | $793 | $429 | $64 | 5.4% |
| Whatcom County, WA, owners | 57,442 | $118,543 | $1,055 | $1,047 | $109 | 1.9% |
| Whatcom County, WA, renters | 33,729 | $49,938 | $702 | $244 | $19 | 1.9% |
Flood claims and flood insurance in Whatcom County, WA
Whatcom County, WA: 698 NFIP flood claims in 2015 to 2025, $46.1M paid, median paid claim $40,294.
1,497 of 79,381 residential structures in Whatcom County, WA carry an NFIP contract. 2,248 NFIP policies of any type were in force in Whatcom County, WA on 8 Sep 2026. Whatcom County, WA lists 182 repetitive-loss properties, 16 of them severe repetitive loss.
Whatcom County, WA: claims history, not an outage count.
Flood claims by year in Whatcom County, WA
flood claims a year, Whatcom County, WA
- <5'15
- 6'16
- <5'17
- <5'18
- 0'19
- 26'20
- 329'21
- 28'22
- <5'23
- <5'24
- 297'25
| Whatcom County, WA | Value | Median county | Rank (1 = highest) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whatcom County, WA, claims 2015-2025 | 698 | — | 1 of 28 |
| Whatcom County, WA, paid 2015-2025 | $46.1M | — | 1 of 28 |
| Whatcom County, WA, median paid claim | $40,294 | — | — |
| Whatcom County, WA, claims per 1,000 homes | 8.8 | 1.1 | 2 of 28 |
| Whatcom County, WA, homes with flood insurance | 1.9% | 0.8% | 10 of 39 |
| Whatcom County, WA, policies in force | 2,248 | — | — |
| Whatcom County, WA, repetitive-loss properties | 182 | — | — |
Whatcom County, WA: OpenFEMA NFIP, claims as of 8 Sep 2026, insured share as of 3 Aug 2026; counts under 5 are hidden.
Whatcom County, WA: flood claims by state, flood hub.
Climate and electric heating in Whatcom County, WA
Whatcom County, WA totals 7,410 heating degree days and 40 cooling degree days a year (1991-2020 normal).
For heating, Whatcom County, WA is the 6th coldest of 39 counties in Washington: 7,410 against a median of 6,319. For cooling, Whatcom County, WA is the 37th hottest: 40 against a median of 157.
Whatcom County, WA: winter dominates, by 7,370 heating degree days over cooling.
Whatcom County, WA: the 2016-2025 mean was 7,226 heating degree days, near the 7,410 normal (-2%).
Whatcom County, WA: 45.6% of 92,411 homes heat with electricity; 54.4% use gas, oil, wood or something else.
| Whatcom County, WA | Value | WA median county | Whatcom County, WA, rank (1 = highest) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whatcom County, WA, heating degree days, 1991-2020 normal | 7,410 | 6,319 | 6 of 39 |
| Whatcom County, WA, heating degree days, 2016-2025 mean | 7,226 | 6,119 | 6 of 39 |
| Whatcom County, WA, cooling degree days, 1991-2020 normal | 40 | 157 | 37 of 39 |
| Whatcom County, WA, cooling degree days, 2016-2025 mean | 66 | 225 | 37 of 39 |
| Whatcom County, WA, electric heating, ACS 2019-2023 | 45.6% | 61.1% | 34 of 39 |
Whatcom County, WA: ACS B25040, 92,411 homes; NOAA nClimDiv, retrieved 7 Oct 2026.
Analyst note on Whatcom County, WA
Whatcom County, WA touches 16 ZIP areas, 98220 to 98295, about 14,277 residents each. Whatcom County, WA counts 228,432 residents in 92,411 households. 42,121 of the 92,411 homes in Whatcom County, WA heat with electricity.
Household income in Whatcom County, WA is $80,989; 58,708 of its 92,411 households own. Whatcom County, WA has 101,928 housing units, 9,517 (9.3%) vacant or seasonal, and 33,703 rented homes. The median home in Whatcom County, WA dates from 1988.
Homes in Whatcom County, WA pay $924 a year for electricity.
Bill and heat pump calculator, Whatcom County, WA
Compare Whatcom County, WA with its neighbours
- Skagit County sits 24 miles south of Whatcom County, WA, with 130,407 residents against 228,432 there, median home built 1985 against 1988, energy burden 2.0% against 1.9%, income $85,474 against $80,989.
- Island County sits 52 miles south of Whatcom County, WA, with 86,747 residents against 228,432 there, median home built 1990 against 1988, energy burden 2.0% against 1.9%, income $88,358 against $80,989.
- San Juan County sits 42 miles southwest of Whatcom County, WA, with 18,266 residents against 228,432 there, 56 storm events against 0, median home built 1988 against 1988, energy burden 2.7% against 1.9%, income $83,682 against $80,989.
- Snohomish County sits 60 miles south of Whatcom County, WA, with 834,648 residents against 228,432 there, median home built 1989 against 1988, energy burden 1.4% against 1.9%, income $107,982 against $80,989.
- Kitsap County sits 83 miles south of Whatcom County, WA, with 276,581 residents against 228,432 there, 1 storm events against 0, median home built 1986 against 1988, energy burden 1.6% against 1.9%, income $98,546 against $80,989.
Cities in Whatcom County, WA
- Bellingham electricity rates92,367 residents
Washington: home prices since 2001, planned plants.
Questions on Whatcom County, WA
Whatcom County, WA: what do homes pay for electricity?
Whatcom County, WA homes paid 14.63 cents per kWh in 2024 across 1 listed utility: $140 a month at 955 kWh, 2.07% of Whatcom County, WA income.
Whatcom County, WA: how many homes heat with electricity?
Whatcom County, WA: 42,121 of 92,411 occupied homes, 45.6%, rank 34 of 39.
Whatcom County, WA: median household income?
$80,989 in Whatcom County, WA, rank 13 of 39; 228,432 residents, 92,411 households.
Whatcom County, WA: outage-linked storms since 2015?
Whatcom County, WA: 0 NWS events, peak year 2015.
Whatcom County, WA: flood insurance claims since 2015?
Whatcom County, WA: 698 NFIP flood claims, $46.1M paid, 8.8 per 1,000 homes, 1.9% of homes insured.
How old are the homes in Whatcom County, WA?
Whatcom County, WA: median home built 1988; 40.5% predate 1980, 63.3% detached, 20.2% in 5+ unit buildings.
Whatcom County, WA: share of income for energy?
Whatcom County, WA homes spend $924 a year on electricity, $1,749 on all energy: 1.9% of $93,163; 5.4% for lower incomes.