Lake Whatcom Center
Hiring organization · Based in Bellingham, WA
- 1
- open role, live count
- 3.2
- Google rating
On the floor
What the day-to-day looks like
- Shifts hiring now
- Evenings 1
What stands out
Experienced nurses
The one posting on record lists $43.45 an hour, flat—min, median, and max are the same number.
From employer postingsAs of 2026-08-13
Moving here
Washington takes no state income tax out of your wages, so more of that hourly rate stays in your account.
Moving here
Washington is a compact-license state, so a compact RN license can travel with you without a fresh single-state application.
Experienced nurses
Nearby PeaceHealth shows a $30.12 median in our data, so this posted rate sits above that local benchmark.
From employer postingsAs of 2026-08-13
More about working here
Moving here
Bellingham’s cost of living sits about 3% above the national level—noticeable on rent and groceries, not extreme.
Moving here
You would be choosing a city defined by outdoor access and milder winters, with frequent rain as the everyday trade-off.
The city
Living in Bellingham, WA
Bellingham sits between the Salish Sea and Mount Baker, offering outdoorsy RNs easy access to skiing, kayaking, and hiking. The historic Fairhaven district has local shops and waterfront strolls, while Western Washington University keeps the college-town energy lively. It's a midsized Pacific Northwest city that feels small, scenic, and close to both Seattle and Vancouver, BC.
Browse roles in Bellingham
- Metro price level · Bellingham area
- 3% above the national average
- BEA index 103.3 (100 = national)
- Median gross rent
- $1,577/mo
- rent and tenant-paid utilities
- Median household income
- $66,755/yr
- all local households, not nurse pay
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · 2024 metro Regional Price Parities · Census ACS 2024
Who they are
The one rate on file is $43.45 an hour—the minimum, median, and maximum are the same—so that posting leaves little guesswork on the number itself.
- Hiring evenings
More about Lake Whatcom Center
Washington does not take state income tax from wages, and it is a compact-license state, which matters if you are bringing a compact RN license with you. Bellingham runs about 3% above the national cost of living and is known for outdoor access and milder winters, with frequent rain and limited major entertainment as the usual offsets. Nearby in our data, PeaceHealth shows a lower median ($30.12), Rock Hill Health & Rehabilitation is close ($44.00), and Avalon Health Care Management sits higher ($52.00). You are weighing a clear posted rate in a no-income-tax state against thin local pay depth and a city that asks you to prefer trails over nightlife.
Working here
Culture and working life
What to consider
The good
- Posted hourly rate of $43.45
- No state income tax on wages in Washington
- Compact-license state for RN mobility
- Hourly rate above PeaceHealth’s median in our local data
- Bellingham offers outdoor recreation and milder winters
The hard parts
- Pay figure comes from only one posting
- Avalon nearby lists a higher median hourly ($52.00)
- Cost of living about 3% above the national level
- Frequent rain and limited major entertainment options in Bellingham
What to weigh
Pay rests on a single posting, and Avalon Health Care Management nearby lists a higher median at $52.00 an hour.
From employer postingsAs of 2026-08-13
The reality check
Before you decide
Weighing a first job here?
The license clock and the job hunt run at once, and new-grad windows do the deciding. Residency commitments carry fine print worth reading before you sign.
Work here?
This page is built from public postings and employer research. Help us get it right: corrections, photos, and the story of the floor itself.
Improve this page →Open roles
Roles from Lake Whatcom Center
Refreshed throughout the day.
- RN
- Evening shift
- Tuition reimbursement
Help improve this pageShare what it’s like, fix a detail, or add a useful photo.
Hiring here? List this unit.
Claim or manage this page