Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Ferndale grades C overall, 201st of 285 graded towns in Washington, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Residents are healthier than 80% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. On the other side, homes are expensive, about $611K for a typical one and 7.5 times the Bellingham metro’s $82K median household income. Ferndale’s July high is 73°F, where Washington’s towns sit at 77°F and U.S. towns at 85°F. Ferndale's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 94% of U.S. towns. Hovander Homestead is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where Ferndale beats most towns.
11,415 counted in 2010 and 15,048 in 2020; an estimated 17,559 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 16.5% since 2020, after 31.8% 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 Ferndale is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 691 in 1910, 15,048 in 2020. The archive holds 24 old photos and papers going back to 1911 and 3 maps from 1907 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ferndale, 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 Ferndale.
Ferndale has cooler summers than nearly all U.S. towns, but it is a long drive from an emergency room and has homes that cost more against local pay than most of Washington.
The nearest emergency room, Island Hospital, is 24.2 miles away in a straight line.
69% of adults had a checkup this year in Ferndale. Ferndale beats the Washington average on 1 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 30% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Ferndale.
| Ferndale | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 69% | 71% | 79% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 26% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 33% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 31% | 35% |
| What stands out | Ferndale | WA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with high blood pressure | 27.1% | 30.5% |
| More adults with depression | 29.6% | 25.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Ferndale School District. Two of its 13 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vista Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 550 | – |
| Ferndale High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,325 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WA on state tests and graduation
5.6 miles of trail in 19 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Pioneer Park, at 25 acres.
| Ferndale | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.9% | 4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.8 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. VanderYacht Park | 0.7 mi | 22 |
| 2. Pioneer Park | 0.1 mi | 25 |
| 3. Tennant Lake Wildlife Area | — | 8 |
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 34.6°.
Ferndale has mild winters and cool summers. Ferndale’s January low is 35°F. About 3 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Ferndale has about as many jobs (6,126) as working residents, but only 917 people both live and work here.
Most working residents leave Ferndale for work: only 13% work in town. The average trip to work in Ferndale is 22 minutes. Jobs based in Ferndale grew to 6,126 in 2023, 1,034 more than in 2013.
| Ferndale | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 13% | 4.8% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 15% | 15% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 59% of U.S. communities. Since 1989, 48 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Ferndale.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Washington average. Ferndale has grown 16% since 2020, to 17,559 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 25% of Ferndale residents are under 18.
| Ferndale | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 years | 38.6 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 25% | 22% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 37% | 30% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 16% | 16% | 18% |
52% women, 48% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.1 points. Across Washington, 49.6% of residents are women. Median age: women 35.8, men 33.5.
| Ferndale | WA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 15% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.8% | 9.9% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.6% | 8.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 18.3% | 15.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.4% | 14.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 8.2% | 12% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.2% | 10.1% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.5% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.8% | 7.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 24.1% | 21.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 25.4% | 21% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 6.9% | 10% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23.8% | 24% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13.1% | 15.6% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Reported crimes fell from 307 to 203 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Within Washington, it does better than 67% of towns.
| Ferndale | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 10.4 per 1,000 residents | 15.1 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.5 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
At 7.5 years of the Bellingham metro’s $82K median household income, the typical home (about $611K) costs more against local pay than in 81% of Washington towns; that ratio is one input to its D for cost of living.
The typical Ferndale home is worth about $611,000, up 0.8% in a year, close to the Washington typical home.
| Ferndale | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,477 a month | $1,740 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 68% | 71% | 73% |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Ferndale. Close and well known come first.
Big draw36 mi MountainMount Baker
13 mi LandmarkPeace Arch
9 mi MuseumWhatcom Museum of History and Art
9 mi TheatreMount Baker Theatre
30 mi National Historical ParkSan Juan Island National Historical Park421K visitors a year
9 mi MuseumSPARK Museum of Electrical InventionMount Baker: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY 2.5 · Peace Arch: Arnold C (User:Buchanan-Hermit), Attribution · Whatcom Museum of History and Art: Benjamin Cody, Public domain · Mount Baker Theatre: Benjamin Cody, Public domain · San Juan Island National Historical Park: Chris Light (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention: Feedmepaperr, CC0
4 within 15 miles of the center of Ferndale
About 5 of every 100 Ferndale residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Washington.
6 notable people were born in Ferndale.
City in Washington, United States
Ferndale is a city in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. The population was 15,048 at the 2020 census. and according to 2023 census estimates, the city is estimated to have a population of 15,992. Ferndale is the third largest city in Whatcom County and is situated near the Lummi Nation within the Bellingham metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Ferndale.
| Town | WA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferndale | #201 | C | D | B− | C+ | A− |
| Marietta-Alderwood | #179 | C | D | — | B+ | B |
| Custer | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Marietta-Alderwood reports no FBI crime data of its own. Custer isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Ferndale with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Ferndale grades C overall, better than 27% of U.S. towns and #201 of 285 in Washington. It grades A− for health, B− for safety and C+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Within Washington, it does better than 67% 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.
6 notable people were born here, including Daran Norris and Megan Manthey.
