Market indicators are updated monthly. They include the most recently available data. Statistics are also available in print editions of The Bellingham Business Journal.
Annual changes, where applicable, compare the cumulative year-to-date totals with numbers from the same time period during the previous year. Data include raw numbers only and are not adjusted to account for any seasonal factors.
Jobs: Unemployment rate sees seasonal rise
Unemployment rate
Includes non-seasonally adjusted figures in Whatcom County
February 2014: 7.6 percent (February 2013: 8.1 percent)
Source: Washington State Employment Security Department
Jobless benefit claims
Includes continued unemployment benefit claims in Whatcom County
February 2014: 2,774 (February 2013: 2,844)
Source: Washington State Employment Security Department
Bankruptcies
Includes Chapters 7, 11, 13 in Whatcom County
February 2014: 39 (February 2013: 47)
Year-to-date: 65 (Annual change: 23.08 percent decrease)
Source: U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Washington
Spending: Sales-tax disbursement hits highs
Sales-tax distribution
Includes basic and optional local sales tax to Bellingham
February 2014: $2.06 million (February 2013: $2.01 million)
Year-to-date: $3.65 million (Annual change: 1.39 percent increase)
Source: Washington State Department of Revenue
Motor vehicle registrations
Includes original registrations in Whatcom County
February 2014: 837 (February 2013: 861)
Source: Washington State Department of Licensing
Canadian dollar
Includes monthly averages (Canadian-to-U.S.) at market closing
February 2014: $0.90 (February 2013: $0.99)
Source: Bank of Canada
Housing: Closed sales up, median price down
Average home sale price
Includes single-family homes and condos in Whatcom County
March 2014: $268,731 (March 2013: $257,322)
Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service
Median home sale price
Includes single-family homes and condos in Whatcom County
March 2014: $239,950 (March 2013: $250,000)
Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service
Closed residential sales
Includes single-family homes and condos in Whatcom County
March 2014: 217 (March 2013: 187)
Year-to-date: 516 (Annual change: 9.32 percent increase)
Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service
Pending residential sales
Includes single-family homes and condos in Whatcom County
March 2014: 311 (March 2013: 330)
Year-to-date: 781 (Annual change: 5.33 percent decrease)
Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service
Foreclosure rate
Includes foreclosures in Whatcom County
December 2013: 1.15 percent (December 2012: 1.58 percent)
Source: CoreLogic
Mortgage delinquency rate
Includes delinquencies in Whatcom County
December 2013: 3.07 percent (December 2012: 4.17 percent)
Source: CoreLogic
Other factors: Air travel lower in early 2014
Airport traffic
Includes total enplanements at Bellingham International Airport
February 2014: 46,486 (February 2013: 48,523)
Year-to-date: 80,778 (Annual change: 10.57 percent decrease)
Source: Port of Bellingham
Cruise terminal traffic
Includes inbound/outbound passengers at Bellingham Cruise Terminal
February 2014: 1,065 (February 2013: 1,107)
Year-to-date: 2,487 (Annual change: 2.51 percent increase)
Source: Port of Bellingham
Bellingham building permit values
Includes total building-permit valuation in Bellingham
February 2014: $13.39 million (February 2013: $7.4 million)
Year-to-date: $21.77 million (Annual change: 13.61 percent decrease)
Source: City of Bellingham
Evan Marczynski, associate editor of The Bellingham Business Journal, can be reached at 360-647-8805, Ext. 5052, or evan@bbjtoday.com.
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction.
Correction: April 9, 2014
The annual change on traffic at the Bellingham International Airport was incorrectly reported as a 4.29 precent increase in a previous version of this article. The correct annual change is a 10.57 percent decrease.
