NAICS 52

Finance and Insurance in Bellingham, WA

Metro Market Score 61.5 (Difficult), ranked #255 of 331 metros. 310 establishments, 2,572 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 61.5
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national finance and insurance average.

💰High-Cost Market

Bellingham stands out for high finance and insurance labor costs. Wage competitiveness hits 78.3 (above the 70th percentile of metros), and year-over-year wage pressure at 59.1 signals continued increases. Plan for higher payroll if entering this market.

Industry Concentration
60.4
LQ: 0.68
Rank #200 of 331 metros
Wage Competitiveness
78.3
$106,149 avg wage
Growth Trend
49.9
Employment growth index
Rank #167 of 331 metros
Wage Pressure
59.1
YoY wage change index

310 Finance and Insurance Firms in Bellingham

310
Establishments
+7.3% YoY
2,572
Total Employment
-0.5% YoY
$106,149
Average Annual Wage
+11.3% YoY
0.68
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Bellingham vs Washington Statewide

How this metro's finance and insurance market compares to Washington overall. The state ranks #37/51 for entry risk.

Measure Bellingham WA Statewide
Overall Score 61.5 Difficult 55.5 High
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #255 of 331 metros #37 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Bellingham

Administrative and Support Services 43.8 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 47.1 Healthcare and Social Assistance 50.5 Information 55.4 Retail Trade 58.5 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 60.1 Other Services 70.1 Accommodation and Food Services 74.1 Construction 77.4

Finance and Insurance in Other Washington Metros

Longview-Kelso 31.9 #58/331 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee 33.3 #66/331 Mount Vernon-Anacortes 36.7 #80/331 Yakima 38.7 #95/331 Walla Walla 45.0 #148/331 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater 47.4 #155/331 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard 49.4 #167/331 Kennewick-Richland 51.6 #185/331 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue 69.0 #288/331 Spokane-Spokane Valley 74.8 #316/331

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Bellingham's finance and insurance sector, the wage competitiveness component (78.3) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.