Total enrollment
27,779
+242 (+1%) vs SY 2017-18
Whatcom County
Washington · Public K-12
Whatcom County in Washington is home to 78 public K-12 schools, serving roughly 27,779 students between them, broken out as 43 elementary, 11 middle, and 20 high. Bellingham School District is the largest district by enrollment.
7-year change in Whatcom County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
76
+5 (+7%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
60%
was 66%
% Hispanic
23%
was 19%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
4%
was 4%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
78
11 districts
Enrollment
27,779
NCES CCD
Median income
$81,784
Above Washington avg
Free/reduced lunch
46.8%
Below Washington avg
Elementary
43
12,641 students
Middle
11
5,628 students
High
20
8,647 students
Combined / other
4
863 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Bellingham School District
11,337 students · 11 districts in Whatcom County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Whatcom County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
39.3%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
7.2%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.8%
civilian labor
Median age
38
18.5% under 18
Test scores in Whatcom County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 49 schools ranked. Washington state average: 58.4%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Meridian High School· 73.7%
- Silver Beach Elementary School· 69.8%
- Lynden High School· 67.6%
- Sehome High School· 67.3%
- Squalicum High School· 66.7%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Alderwood Elementary School· 27.7%
- Cascadia Elementary· 30.5%
- Mount Baker Junior High· 32.1%
- Birchwood Elementary School· 32.3%
- Carl Cozier Elementary School· 34.1%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferndale High School | Ferndale | High | 09-12 | 1,325 | · |
| Squalicum High School | Bellingham | High | 09-12 | 1,273 | · |
| Bellingham High School | Bellingham | High | 09-12 | 1,165 | · |
| Sehome High School | Bellingham | High | 09-12 | 1,116 | · |
| Lynden High School | Lynden | High | 09-12 | 1,002 | · |
| Irene Reither Elementary School | Everson | Elementary | PK-05 | 765 | · |
| Lynden Middle School | Lynden | Middle | 06-08 | 705 | · |
| Whatcom Middle School | Bellingham | Middle | 06-08 | 637 | · |
| Shuksan Middle School | Bellingham | Middle | 06-08 | 606 | · |
| Fairhaven Middle School | Bellingham | Middle | 06-08 | 588 | · |
| Kulshan Middle School | Bellingham | Middle | 06-08 | 575 | · |
| Blaine High School | Blaine | High | 09-12 | 566 | · |
| Vista Middle School | Ferndale | Middle | 06-08 | 550 | · |
| Fisher Elementary School | Lynden | Elementary | KG-05 | 546 | · |
| Meridian High School | Bellingham | High | 09-12 | 534 | · |
| Nooksack Valley High School | Everson | High | 07-12 | 520 | · |
| Mount Baker Senior High | Deming | High | 09-12 | 513 | · |
| Skyline Elementary School | Ferndale | Elementary | KG-05 | 496 | · |
| Blaine Middle School | Blaine | Middle | 06-08 | 471 | · |
| Blaine Elementary School | Blaine | Elementary | 03-05 | 469 | · |
| Nooksack Valley Middle School | Everson | Middle | 06-08 | 469 | · |
| Vossbeck Elementary School | Lynden | Elementary | KG-05 | 468 | · |
| Eagleridge Elementary | Ferndale | Elementary | KG-05 | 457 | · |
| Happy Valley Elementary School | Bellingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 455 | · |
| Cascadia Elementary | Ferndale | Elementary | KG-05 | 440 | · |
| Horizon Middle School | Ferndale | Middle | 06-08 | 433 | · |
| Parkview Elementary School | Bellingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 422 | · |
| Blaine Primary School | Blaine | Elementary | PK-02 | 419 | · |
| Lynden Academy | Lynden | Combined | KG-12 | 419 | · |
| Isom Elementary School | Lynden | Elementary | KG-05 | 413 | · |
| Geneva Elementary School | Bellingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 412 | · |
| Nooksack Elementary | Everson | Elementary | PK-05 | 412 | · |
| Northern Heights Elementary Schl | Bellingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 396 | · |
| Custer Elem | Custer | Elementary | KG-05 | 392 | · |
| Cordata Elementary School | Bellingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 357 | · |
| Silver Beach Elementary School | Bellingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 357 | · |
| Meridian Middle School | Lynden | Middle | 06-08 | 350 | · |
| Roosevelt Elementary School | Bellingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 348 | · |
| Lowell Elementary School | Bellingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 338 | · |
| Birchwood Elementary School | Bellingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 335 | · |
| Carl Cozier Elementary School | Bellingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 325 | · |
| Kendall Elementary | Maple Falls | Elementary | KG-06 | 317 | · |
| Central Elementary | Ferndale | Elementary | PK-05 | 315 | · |
| Alderwood Elementary School | Bellingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 305 | · |
| Lummi Nation Tribal School | Bellingham | Elementary | KG-08 | 297 | · |
| Wade King Elementary School | Bellingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 297 | · |
| Sumas Elementary | Sumas | Elementary | PK-05 | 295 | · |
| Everson Elementary | Everson | Elementary | PK-05 | 288 | · |
| Harmony Elementary | Bellingham | Elementary | KG-06 | 288 | · |
| Sunnyland Elementary School | Bellingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 288 | · |
| Bellingham Family Partnership Program | Bellingham | Combined | KG-12 | 258 | · |
| Mount Baker Junior High | Deming | Middle | 07-08 | 244 | · |
| Meridian Parent Partnership Program | Bellingham | Elementary | KG-08 | 208 | · |
| Columbia Elementary School | Bellingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 187 | · |
| Options High School | Bellingham | High | 09-12 | 176 | · |
| Acme Elementary | Acme | Elementary | KG-06 | 168 | · |
| Ferndale Virtual Academy | Ferndale | Combined | KG-12 | 154 | · |
| Lummi High School | Bellingham | High | 09-12 | 142 | · |
| Bellingham Re-Engagement Program | Bellingham | High | 09-12 | 110 | · |
| Intergenerational High School | Bellingham | High | 09-12 | 107 | · |
| Mountain View Elementary | Ferndale | Elementary | PK-08 | 101 | · |
| Lynden Student Services | Lynden | Elementary | PK-PK | 93 | · |
| Blaine Home Connection | Blaine | Elementary | KG-08 | 39 | · |
| Nooksack Valley Special Services | Everson | Elementary | PK-PK | 34 | · |
| Ferndale Re-Engagement | Ferndale | High | 09-12 | 33 | · |
| Mount Baker Academy | Deming | Combined | KG-12 | 32 | · |
| Beach Elem | Lummi Island | Elementary | KG-05 | 30 | · |
| Meridian Special Programs | Bellingham | Elementary | PK-PK | 26 | · |
| Meridian Impact Re-Engagement | Bellingham | High | 09-12 | 21 | · |
| Ferndale Special Services | Ferndale | Elementary | PK-PK | 20 | · |
| Educational Resource Center | Deming | Elementary | PK-PK | 18 | · |
| Nooksack Reengagement | Everson | High | 11-12 | 15 | · |
| Blaine Re-Engagement | Bellingham | High | 10-12 | 14 | · |
| Visions (Seamar Youth Center) | Bellingham | High | 06-12 | 11 | · |
| Point Roberts Primary | Point Roberts | Elementary | KG-02 | 5 | · |
| Whatcom Co Detention Center | Bellingham | High | 08-12 | 4 | · |
| IMPACT Reengagement Program | Lynden | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| North Bell Learning Center | Bellingham | Elementary | PK-KG | 0 | · |
Cities in Whatcom County
About Whatcom County
In Washington, Whatcom County is a medium-population county of about 230,503 residents. 78 public schools across the county educates about 27,779 students between them.
Zooming out, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $81,784, roughly 39% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate is around 7%.
For a sense of the school types, Whatcom County covers 43 elementary schools (12,641 students), 11 middle schools (5,628), 20 high schools (8,647), and 4 combined or other schools.
Bellingham School District is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 11,337 students across Whatcom County.
Trend over the past 7 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 27,779 students, remained close to its prior level from the 27,537 reported in SY 2017-18. Over that span, Whatcom County gained 5 schools, going from 71 to 76. Demographically, the White share of enrollment declined from 66% to 60%.
On allk12, the community for Whatcom County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
Whatcom County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data