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 plateaus

Unemployment rate
Includes non-seasonally adjusted figures in Whatcom County

September 2014: 5.3 percent (September 2013: 6.1 percent)

Source: Washington State Employment Security Department

Nonfarm industry employment
Includes nonfarm industry jobs in Whatcom County

September 2014: 84,100 (September 2013: 84,200)

Source: Washington State Employment Security Department

Bankruptcies

Includes Chapters 7, 11, 13 in Whatcom County

September 2014: 32
Year-to-date: 780 (Annual change: 25.58 percent decrease)

Source: U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Washington 

 

Spending: Canadian dollar drops

Sales-tax distribution
Includes basic and optional local sales tax to Bellingham

September 2014: $1.76 million
Year-to-date: $14.76 million (Annual change: 1.09 percent increase)

Source: Washington State Department of Revenue

Motor vehicle registrations
Includes original registrations in Whatcom County

August 2014: 1,351 (August 2013: 1,225)

Source: Washington State Department of Licensing

Canadian dollar
Includes monthly averages (Canadian-to-U.S.) at market closing

September 2014: $0.91 (September 2013: $0.97)

Source: Bank of Canada

 

Housing: Home values and sales slow

Average home sale price
Includes single-family homes and condos in Whatcom County

September 2014: $282,648 (May 2013: $282,221)

Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service

Median home sale price
Includes single-family homes and condos in Whatcom County

September 2014: $257,000 (September 2013: $249,000)

Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service

Closed residential sales
Includes single-family homes and condos in Whatcom County

September 2014: 148 (September 2013: 142)

Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service

Pending residential sales
Includes single-family homes and condos in Whatcom County

September 2014: 239 (September 2013: 239)

Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service

Foreclosure rate
Includes foreclosures in Whatcom County

September 2014: 0.91 percent (September 2013: 1.17 percent)

Source: CoreLogic

Mortgage delinquency rate
Includes delinquencies in Whatcom County

September 2014: 2.50 percent (September 2013: 3.33 percent)

Source: CoreLogic

Other factors: Lowest airport traffic since 2011

Airport traffic
Includes total enplanements at Bellingham International Airport

September 2014: 37,901 (September 2013: 41,959)
Year-to-date: 415,538 (Annual change: 9.67 percent decrease)

Source: Port of Bellingham 

Cruise terminal traffic
Includes inbound/outbound passengers at Bellingham Cruise Terminal

September 2014: 2,207 (September 2013: 1,823
Year-to-date: 21,118 (Annual change: 17.4 percent increase)

Source: Port of Bellingham 

Bellingham building permit values
Includes total building-permit valuation in Bellingham

September 2014: $8.9 million (September 2013: $8.7 million)
Year-to-date: $126.01 million (Annual change: 5.9 percent decrease)

Source: City of Bellingham