Market indicators are updated monthly. They include the most recently available data. Expanded statistics are available in print editions of The Bellingham Business Journal.
Jobs: Employment numbers pick up; bankruptcies rise
Unemployment rate
Includes non-seasonally adjusted figures in Whatcom County
October 2013: 6.1 percent
Yearly change: 0.4 percent decrease
Monthly change: 0.1 percent decrease
Source: Washington State Employment Security Department
Jobless benefit claims
Includes continued unemployment benefit claims in Whatcom County
October 2013: 1,780
Yearly change: 17.09 percent decrease
Monthly change: 1.37 percent increase
Source: Washington State Employment Security Department
Total nonfarm employment
Includes non-seasonally adjusted figures in Whatcom County
October 2013: 85,700
Yearly change: 4.13 percent increase
Monthly change: 2.27 percent increase
Source: Washington State Employment Security Department
Bankruptcies
Includes Chapters 7, 11, 13 in Whatcom County
October 2013: 51
Yearly change: 21.43 percent increase
Monthly change: 18.6 percent increase
Source: U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Washington
Spending: Canadian dollar average down nearly 5 percent
Sales-tax distribution
Includes basic and optional local sales tax to Bellingham
October 2013: $1,737,141.18
Yearly change: 8.75 percent increase
Monthly change: Negligible
Source: Washington State Department of Revenue
Motor vehicle registrations
Includes original registrations in Whatcom County
October 2013: 1,109
Yearly change: 5.62 percent increase
Monthly change: 4.33 percent increase
Source: Washington State Department of Licensing
Canadian dollar
Includes monthly averages (Canadian-to-U.S.) at market closing
October 2013: $0.96
Yearly change: 4.95 percent decrease
Monthly change: 1.03 percent decrease
Source: Bank of Canada
Border traffic
Includes southbound passenger-vehicle crossings into Whatcom County
April 2013: 545,964
Yearly change: 0.65 percent decrease
Monthly change: 6.62 percent decrease
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation
Housing: Busy sales continue, but price rises slow
Average home sale price
Includes single-family homes and condos in Whatcom County
October 2013: $282,221
Yearly change: 1.23 percent increase
Monthly change: 6.41 percent decrease
Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service
Median home sale price
Includes single-family homes and condos in Whatcom County
October 2013: $249,000
Yearly change: 3.35 percent decrease
Monthly change: 7.74 percent decrease
Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service
Closed residential sales
Includes single-family homes and condos in Whatcom County
October 2013: 280
Yearly change: 15.7 percent increase
Monthly change: 8.11 percent increase
Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service
Pending residential sales
Includes single-family homes and condos in Whatcom County
October 2013: 276
Yearly change: 11.54 percent decrease
Monthly change: 8.91 percent decrease
Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service
Foreclosure rate
Includes foreclosures in Whatcom County
September 2013: 1.12 percent
Yearly change: 0.9 percent decrease
Monthly change: 0.05 percent decrease
Source: CoreLogic
Mortgage delinquency rate
Includes delinquencies in Whatcom County
September 2013: 3.27 percent
Yearly change: 0.37 percent decrease
Monthly change: 0.05 percent decrease
Source: CoreLogic
Other factors: Airport, cruise terminal traffic lower than 2012
Airport traffic
Includes total enplanements at Bellingham International Airport
October 2013: 42,533
Yearly change: 4.53 percent decrease
Monthly change: 1.37percent decrease
Source: Port of Bellingham
Cruise terminal traffic
Includes inbound/outbound passengers at Bellingham Cruise Terminal
October 2013: 1,546
Yearly change: 18.46 percent decrease
Monthly change: 15.19 percent decrease
Source: Port of Bellingham
Bellingham building permit values
Includes total building-permit valuation in Bellingham
October 2013: $13.9 million
Yearly change: 8.59 percent increase
Monthly change: 59.77 percent increase
Source: City of Bellingham
Whatcom County building permit values
Includes total building-permit valuation in unincorporated areas of Whatcom County
October 2013: $7.9 million
Yearly change: 29.51 percent increase
Monthly change: 9.2 percent decrease
Source: Whatcom County Planning & Development Services
Evan Marczynski, staff reporter for The Bellingham Business Journal, can be reached at 360-647-8805, Ext. 5052, or evan@bbjtoday.com.
This article has been updated to reflect the following correction.
Correction: Dec. 2, 2013:
An earlier version of this month’s Market Indicators included incorrect section headlines. They have since been fixed.
