CostIndexUSA

Bellingham, WA vs Plano, TX Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostWA
Bellingham
103.3
overall index
$1,875/mo rent
TX
Plano
103.1
overall index
$1,775/mo rent

Bellingham and Plano have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+4.4%
Bellingham
112.9
Plano
117.9
🛒 Groceries2.1%
Bellingham
105
Plano
102.8
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Bellingham
104.4
Plano
104.7
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Bellingham
94.5
Plano
94.7
Utilities9.2%
Bellingham
99.9
Plano
90.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Bellingham to see what you'd need to earn in Plano to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Plano, TX
$79,800
$200 less needed in Plano

Formula: salary × (103.1 ÷ 103.3) = salary × 0.9981. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Bellingham, WA

Median Home Price
$598,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,875
Housing Index
112.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
26.6×

Plano, TX

Median Home Price
$450,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,775
Housing Index
117.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
21.1×

Plano has 4.4% higher housing costs compared to Bellingham.

Income & Job Market

Bellingham, WA

Median Household Income
$74,900
Per Capita Income
$42,700
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
Population
92,314
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTechnologyManufacturingTourism

Plano, TX

Median Household Income
$86,900
Per Capita Income
$49,500
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
Population
285,494
Top Industries
TechnologyFinanceHealthcareTelecommunicationsRetail

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Bellingham, WA
3.3×income-to-rent ratio

70% of income left after rent (median)

Plano, TX
4.1×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.