High-rent metro gap - Bellingham, WA MSA
Displayed gap in Bellingham, WA MSA: +21.5% (HUD $1,794 vs ACS $1,477) · counties in FMR rows: Whatcom County .
FMR gap dispatch plate
CBSA 13380 · Bellingham, WA -21.5% shortfall
GAP-GENEROUS · FMR-TOP · SPREAD-PLUS · PHOTO-FINISH · COUNTY-SPARSE · BOOK-FULL
- GAP-GENEROUS 21.5% surplus
- FMR-TOP #339/396 · P86
- SPREAD-PLUS +$317
- PHOTO-FINISH Odessa
- COUNTY-SPARSE 1 county
- BOOK-FULL HUD+ACS pair
Nearest shortfall peer: Odessa, TX Metro Area (-0.0pp)
HUD's reference overshoots the ACS median by $317/mo. Lease-up odds are usually better than in shortfall markets, though still compare Odessa, TX Metro Area before assuming portability helps.
Instrument codes from this metro’s HUD FMR vs ACS shortfall band, national FMR quartile, dollar spread, gap peer, county footprint, and book completeness, not a moving recommendation.
Shortfall neighbourhood around Bellingham, WA
Metros nearest this CBSA on voucher-vs-market shortfall (HUD FMR vs ACS 2-BR median). Full ladder: /gap/.
- Appleton -21.41
Appleton: -21.4% shortfall
-21.41 % shortfall
- Orlando-Kissimme -21.43
Orlando-Kissimme: -21.4% shortfall
-21.43 % shortfall
- Bellingham · this metro -21.46
Bellingham · this metro: -21.5% shortfall
-21.46 % shortfall
- Odessa -21.48
Odessa: -21.5% shortfall
-21.48 % shortfall
- Los Angeles-Long -21.54
Los Angeles-Long: -21.5% shortfall
-21.54 % shortfall
How does Bellingham, WA compare with nearby FMR areas?
These are the twelve metros closest to Bellingham, WA on the displayed voucher-vs-market margin. Their county lists are HUD FMR-area coverage, not a claim that the markets are interchangeable.
- Odessa, TX Metro Area
-21.5% shortfall · HUD $1,595 vs ACS $1,313 · $+$282/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Ector County.
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL Metro Area
-21.4% shortfall · HUD $1,972 vs ACS $1,624 · $+$348/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Lake County, Orange County, Osceola County, Seminole County.
- Appleton, WI Metro Area
-21.4% shortfall · HUD $1,236 vs ACS $1,018 · $+$218/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Calumet County, Outagamie County.
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
-21.5% shortfall · HUD $2,601 vs ACS $2,140 · $+$461/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Los Angeles County.
- Terre Haute, IN Metro Area
-21.6% shortfall · HUD $1,094 vs ACS $900 · $+$194/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Clay County, Vermillion County, Vigo County.
- Chico, CA Metro Area
-21.4% shortfall · HUD $1,625 vs ACS $1,339 · $+$286/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Butte County.
- San Juan-Bayamón-Caguas, PR Metro Area
-21.6% shortfall · HUD $663 vs ACS $545 · $+$118/mo
- Sandusky, OH Metro Area
-21.3% shortfall · HUD $1,106 vs ACS $912 · $+$194/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Erie County.
- Winchester, VA-WV Metro Area
-21.7% shortfall · HUD $1,573 vs ACS $1,293 · $+$280/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Frederick County, Hampshire County, Winchester city.
- Wichita Falls, TX Metro Area
-21.2% shortfall · HUD $1,136 vs ACS $937 · $+$199/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Archer County, Clay County, Wichita County.
- Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL Metro Area
-21.2% shortfall · HUD $1,000 vs ACS $825 · $+$175/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Colbert County, Lauderdale County.
- Portland-South Portland, ME Metro Area
-21.7% shortfall · HUD $1,833 vs ACS $1,506 · $+$327/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Cumberland County, Cumberland County, Cumberland County, Cumberland County, Cumberland County, Cumberland County.
Source: HUD USER FY2026 Fair Market Rent area records and Census ACS 2019–2023 median gross rent.
WA FMR scale context
These are the closest FY2026 2-BR FMR values in WA; they help place this HUD reference on its state scale, but do not substitute for each metro’s ACS rent comparison.
- Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA MSA $1,720 (−$74)
- Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA $1,960 (+$166)
- Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA $2,031 (+$237)
- Walla Walla, WA MSA $1,550 (−$244)
- Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA $1,538 (−$256)
- Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area $1,531 (−$263)
- Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA MSA $1,500 (−$294)
- Longview-Kelso, WA MSA $1,451 (−$343)
- Yakima, WA MSA $1,374 (−$420)
- Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area $2,501 (+$707)
Low-FMR contrast (scale only)
Fayette County, WV HUD Metro FMR Area ($915 2-BR); Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX MSA ($1,103 2-BR); Bay City, MI MSA ($1,030 2-BR); Binghamton, NY MSA ($1,103 2-BR) . Opposite-quartile FMR metros for scale, not gap substitutes for Bellingham, WA MSA.
Bellingham, WA MSA gap inputs
- HUD 2-BR FMR (FY2026): $1,794/mo
- ACS 2019–2023 2-BR median: $1,477/mo
- Displayed gap: +21.5%
- National FMR percentile: 86 (#339/396)
displayed % = (HUD 2-BR − ACS 2-BR median) / ACS median × 100
Issuing PHAs for Bellingham, WA MSA
WA HCV agencies (scale-keyed)
Full payment standards for Bellingham, WA MSA · Payment standards vs FMR
Source: HUD USER Fair Market Rent FY2026, Census ACS median gross rent. Gap is PlainVoucher-derived. Methodology.
Disclaimer. For informational purposes only, not a substitute for PHA counseling or legal advice. Median gross rent reflects rents paid by current tenants; asking rents for available units typically run higher. Actual PHA payment standards can differ from HUD FMR by ±10%. Always confirm the current payment standard with your PHA. PlainVoucher is not affiliated with HUD or any PHA.