Custer, WA - Main Street, 2006
Custer’s story
141 years in pictures
Census counts: 299 in 2000, 518 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2006 and 3 maps from 1907 on.
- 1885Custer is settled
CusterWA
A town of 477, settled in 1885. A regional job hub with 807 jobs.
Population
477
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$661K
+0.4% in a year
Household income
$94K
median
Median age
34.8
years
Jobs based here
807
A job hub
Is Custer a good place to live?
Custer’s July high is 73°F, against 77°F in Washington’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. Only 1 of the 286 Washington towns we compare have a higher share of households owning their home than Custer. Custer has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Custer stand out
Where Custer beats most towns.
Small town
477 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
FerndaleCuster
Getting set up
Moving to Custer: who provides what
Custer is unincorporated, so Whatcom County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPuget Sound Energy17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCuster Water AssociationNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers80% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesWhatcom CountyWhatcom County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Washington you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 8 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereWhatcom County AuditorWhatcom County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2016
ZIP codes98240, 9824898240 71% · 98248 29%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Custer.
Schools
The schools Custer’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Ferndale School District. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custer ElemLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 392 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
Custer has 3.6 jobs for every working resident, and 800 people commute in
Most working residents leave Custer for work: only 3% work in town. 20% of Custer residents live below the poverty line, where Washington’s towns sit at 7.9% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. The average trip to work in Custer is 21 minutes.
3%work in town
| Custer | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 20% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.1% | 4.9% | 8% |
| Median household income | $94,000 | $98,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Custer3%
Bellingham28%
Ferndale10%
Lynden7%
Blaine5%
12 mi
median commute distance
807
jobs based in Custer
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Custer, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Custer has mild winters and cool summers. Custer’s January low is 34°F.
9″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter35–46°
Spring41–58°
Summer52–72°
Fall44–59°
Oct 30
typical first frost
Mar 31
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Custer faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by earthquakes
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 62% of U.S. communities.
62risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingCold waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Custer is
Custer beats the Washington average on 8 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 26% of Custer adults have obesity.
| Custer | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 33% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 33% | 36% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 18% | 25% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 26% | 23% |
31 measures vs. Washington
8 better21 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Custer | WA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.7% | 10.2% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 3.9% | 5.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.1% | 7.9% |
Island Hospital
28.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
A typical Custer home is worth about $661K
The typical Custer home is worth about $661,000, about the same as a year ago, 12% above the Washington typical home.
$661KZillow home value
Typical home value
Custer$661K
Washington$588K
+0.4%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in March
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 21 attractions →Mount Baker and 9 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Custer. Close and well known come first.
Big draw39 mi MountainMount Baker
8 mi LandmarkPeace Arch
31 mi National Historical ParkSan Juan Island National Historical Park421K visitors a year
13 mi MuseumWhatcom Museum of History and Art
13 mi TheatreMount Baker Theatre
13 mi MuseumSPARK Museum of Electrical InventionSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Mount Baker: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY 2.5 · Peace Arch: Arnold C (User:Buchanan-Hermit), Attribution · San Juan Island National Historical Park: Chris Light (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Whatcom Museum of History and Art: Benjamin Cody, Public domain · Mount Baker Theatre: Benjamin Cody, Public domain · SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention: Feedmepaperr, CC0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Custer
17pages on Custer
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Custer
Northwest Indian CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Bellingham8.3 mi$4,365 in-state tuitionWhatcom Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Bellingham10.5 mi$5,115 in-state tuitionBellingham Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Bellingham11.6 mi$4,431 in-state tuition
About 8 of every 100 Custer residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
A job hub
Every workday, about 800 people come to Custer for work
Where Custer’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
807jobs based in Custer
3%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Custer
CDP in Washington, United States
Custer is a census-designated place (CDP) in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. The population was 518 at the 2020 census, up from 366 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 43 ft
- ZIP code
- 98240
- Area code
- 360
Questions about Custer
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Custer, WA a good place to live?
Custer has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.