Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Blaine earns a D, 247th among Washington's 285 graded towns. What it does well: 3% of its land is conserved. Blaine’s July high is 73°F, against 77°F in Washington’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. Homes are expensive, about $538K for a typical one and 6.6 times the Bellingham metro’s $82K median household income. Blaine has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Peace Arch and MV PLOVER (ferry).
Where Blaine beats most towns.
4,684 counted in 2010 and 5,884 in 2020; an estimated 6,475 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 10.1% since 2020, after 25.6% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Washington), ordered by how far Blaine is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,563 in 1890, a low of 1,524 in 1940, 5,884 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 1880.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Blaine, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Blaine.
Blaine has cooler summers than nearly all U.S. towns and trades workers with Bellingham and other neighbors, but it is a long drive from an emergency room.
People 65 and older are 26% of residents (17% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 17% of residents (24% statewide). Blaine has grown 10% since 2020, to 6,475 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. Blaine’s median age is 43.4 years.
| Blaine | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 26% | 16% | 18% |
| Median age | 43.4 years | 38.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 21% | 22% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 32% | 30% | 29% |
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.9 points. Across Washington, 49.6% of residents are women.
| Blaine | WA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.9% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.1% | 9.9% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8% | 8.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.2% | 15.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.3% | 14.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.4% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.9% | 12% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 16.2% | 10.1% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 10% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.8% | 7.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 29.4% | 21.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 26% | 21% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.9% | 10% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.9% | 24% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13% | 15.6% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Its public schools are run by the Blaine School District. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Blaine High School, with 566 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blaine Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 471 | – |
| Blaine High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 566 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WA on state tests and graduation
The violent crime rate in Blaine is 2.6 per 1,000 residents. Within Washington, it does better than 54% of towns.
| Blaine | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.6 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 11.5 per 1,000 residents | 15.1 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
4.4 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Lincoln Park, at 31 acres.
| Blaine | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.7% | 4% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Semiahmoo Park | 0.8 mi | 25 |
| 2. Lincoln Park | 0.7 mi | 31 |
| 3. Blaine Marine Park | 0.6 mi | 14 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
July afternoons average 73.2°, cooler than in 99% of U.S. towns; January nights average 35.4°.
Blaine has mild winters and cool summers. About 9 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The nearest emergency room, Peacehealth Peace Island Medical Center, is 33.2 miles away in a straight line. Within Washington it is less healthy than 66% of the 285 graded towns: Washington sets a high bar.
28% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Blaine.
| Blaine | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 26% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 33% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 33% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 71% | 79% |
| What stands out | Blaine | WA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 76.1% | 70.7% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 12.6% | 9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Blaine has about as many jobs (2,719) as working residents, but only 413 people both live and work here. The average commute takes 18.3 minutes, against 26.6 across Washington.
22% of Blaine workers work from home. The top destinations are Bellingham (24%), Seattle (5%) and Ferndale (5%). 13% of Blaine residents live below the poverty line.
| Blaine | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 22% | 15% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 17% | 4.8% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Blaine home is worth about $538,000, about the same as a year ago, 9% below the Washington typical home.
| Blaine | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,450 a month | $1,740 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 71% | 70% | 73% |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 56% of U.S. communities. Since 2001, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Blaine.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
1 within 15 miles of the center of Blaine
About 3 of every 100 Blaine residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
Border city in Washington, United States
Blaine is a city in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. The city's northern boundary is the Canada–U.S. border; the Peace Arch international monument straddles the border of both countries. It is the fourth largest incorporated city within the Bellingham Metropolitan Area. The population was 5,884 at the 2020 census. As Blaine is located adjacent to the border with Canada, it is the northernmost city on Interstate 5.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Blaine.
Birch Bay reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Blaine with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Blaine grades D overall, better than 14% of U.S. towns and #247 of 285 in Washington. It grades B for health, C for safety and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Within Washington, it does better than 54% of towns.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
