Section 8 in Bellingham, WA: FMR & Landlord Guide
Bellingham, WA metro area (CBSA 13380). FY2026 Fair Market Rents, active voucher counts, housing authorities and wait-list status, and source-of-income law. Every figure below links back to its source.
Fair Market Rent by bedroom count
HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026. Payment standards (what a PHA actually pays) are set between 90% and 110% of FMR at PHA discretion.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard (90–110%) |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,463 | $1,317 – $1,609 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,493 | $1,344 – $1,642 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,794 | $1,615 – $1,973 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,495 | $2,246 – $2,745 |
| 4-bedroom | $3,010 | $2,709 – $3,311 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Bellingham, WA covers up to $1,794 in gross rent (before the tenant’s utility allowance). Between the low and high end of the range: $1,615–$1,973.
Voucher demand in this metro
Aggregated from HUD Public Housing Authority data (FY2026). High utilization means voucher holders are placed and reliably paying rent, a stable but competitive tenant pool for accepting landlords.
Housing authorities serving Bellingham, WA
2 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Contact the PHA that covers the specific address you’re considering.
- Status unknown
Housing Authority City of Bellingham
Bellingham, WA · WA025 · 1,957 HCV units
- Status unknown
HA Of Whatcom County
Bellingham, WA · WA041 · 0 HCV units
Source-of-income law in WA
WA state law prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to Section 8 voucher holders on the basis of their source of income.
RCW 59.18.255 · view statute →
Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change; verify current status before making a leasing decision.
Analyze a specific Bellingham, WA property
Look up the address’s SAFMR (ZIP-level rent), plug the numbers into the voucher-vs-market analyzer, and check the HQS pre-inspection list before scheduling.