WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Average wages in Whatcom County saw a promising rise towards the end of last year.

That’s according to a new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on weekly wages in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Workers in the county averaged $1,286 per week, which was up 6% from the same time in 2023.

But the state’s average wage growth slightly outpaced Whatcom, mostly due to a dramatic 13% rise in King County.

Whatcom also averaged the second-lowest weekly wages out of the 10 largest counties in Washington.

It comes as a new study by financial tech company SmartAsset claims single adults in the state need to make just under $110,000 per year to live comfortably

That ranked Washington as the fifth-most expensive state in the country.