Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 16,881, settled in 1873. 44% more nonprofits per person than the typical Washington town.
Lynden grades B− overall, 135th of 285 graded towns in Washington, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns and it is more walkable than 76% of U.S. towns. On the other side, homes are expensive, about $620K for a typical one and 7.6 times the Bellingham metro’s $82K median household income. 24% of working residents work locally in Lynden, against 4.8% in Washington’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Lynden has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Berthusen Barn and Privy and US Post Office-Lyden Main. Lynden's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 82% of U.S. towns.
Where Lynden beats most towns.
11,951 counted in 2010 and 15,749 in 2020; an estimated 16,881 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 7.1% 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 Lynden is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 560 in 1890, a low of 365 in 1900, 15,749 in 2020. The archive holds 23 old photos and papers going back to 1888 and 3 maps from 1906 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lynden, 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 Lynden.
Lynden fares better on crime within Washington than nationally and has cooler summers than nearly all U.S. towns, but it is a long drive from an emergency room.
The nearest emergency room, Island Hospital, is 31.7 miles away in a straight line. Within Washington it is healthier than 50% of the 285 graded towns: Washington sets a high bar.
27% of Lynden adults have obesity. Lynden beats the Washington average on 2 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 7. 29% of Lynden adults have been diagnosed with depression.
| Lynden | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 33% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 26% | 23% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 33% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 71% | 71% | 79% |
| What stands out | Lynden | WA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with obesity | 26.9% | 30.6% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 73.9% | 70.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.8% | 7.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Lynden School District. Two of its 10 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Lynden High School, with 1,002 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lynden Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 705 | – |
| Lynden High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,002 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WA on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 78% of U.S. communities. Since 2003, 7 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Lynden.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
July afternoons average 75.1°, cooler than in 98% of U.S. towns; January nights average 33.7°.
Lynden has mild winters and cool summers. Lynden’s July high is 75°F. About 11 inches of snow falls in a winter.
| Lynden | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 75°F | 77°F | 85°F |
| January low | 34°F | 35°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Lynden has about as many jobs (6,138) as working residents, but only 1,586 people both live and work here. Jobs based here grew from 4,517 in 2013 to 6,138.
About one in 4 of Lynden’s working residents works in town. The average trip to work in Lynden is 21 minutes. Since 2013, Lynden has added 1,621 jobs, to 6,138 in 2023.
| Lynden | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $103,000 | $98,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 13% | 15% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Adults 35 to 64 are 32% of residents (38% statewide). Lynden has grown 7.1% since 2020, to 16,881 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 25% of residents are under 18 in Lynden.
| Lynden | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.2 years | 38.6 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 25% | 22% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 33% | 30% | 29% |
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.3 points. Across Washington, 49.6% of residents are women.
| Lynden | WA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 15.1% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.5% | 9.9% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.7% | 8.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 16.3% | 15.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.5% | 14.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.5% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.2% | 12% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.7% | 10.1% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.4% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.7% | 7.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25.5% | 21.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 25.9% | 21% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.9% | 10% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 24.4% | 24% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.7% | 15.6% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
2.0 miles of trail in 8 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Bender Fields, at 58 acres.
| Lynden | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.6% | 4% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bender Fields | 0.2 mi | 58 |
| 2. Lynden Fairgrounds | 0.1 mi | 37 |
| 3. Dickinson Park | — | 10 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
At 7.6 years of the Bellingham metro’s $82K median household income, the typical home (about $620K) 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 Lynden home is worth about $620,000, up 2% in a year, 6% above the Washington typical home.
| Lynden | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,707 a month | $1,740 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 66% | 71% | 73% |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
At 18.5 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 73% of Washington’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 262 to 209 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lynden. Close and well known come first.
Big draw32 mi MountainMount Baker
38 mi National ParkNorth Cascades National Park47K visitors a year
14 mi LandmarkPeace Arch37 mi Ski areaMt Baker47 runs · 1,475 ft vertical
14 mi TheatreMount Baker Theatre
14 mi MuseumWhatcom Museum of History and ArtMount Baker: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY 2.5 · North Cascades National Park: Daniel Hershman, CC BY 2.0 · Peace Arch: Arnold C (User:Buchanan-Hermit), Attribution · Mount Baker Theatre: Benjamin Cody, Public domain · Whatcom Museum of History and Art: Benjamin Cody, Public domain
4 within 15 miles of the center of Lynden
About 4 of every 100 Lynden residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
3 places in Lynden on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Washington, United States
Lynden is a city in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. It is located 15 miles (24 km) north of Bellingham, the county seat and principal city of the Bellingham Metropolitan Area. It is the second largest city in Whatcom County. The city is approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) south of the Canada–U.S. border. The city is located along the Nooksack River and State Route 539. The population of Lynden was 15,749 at the 2020 census. In 2024, it was updated to 16,551. The city is also home to the annual Northwest Washington Fair.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Lynden grades B− overall, better than 48% of U.S. towns and #135 of 285 in Washington. It grades A− for health, B− for safety and B+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
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.
2 notable people were born here, including Lowell S. Hawley and Yelkanum Seclamatan.
