Bellingham
Columbia
Craftsman streets above the harbor, ten quiet minutes from town.
On the map
Boundary is approximate — refined per neighborhood over time.
Pacific Relocation's take
Our quiet pick for families who still want sidewalks to town.
Columbia is the neighborhood we show families who fall for Fairhaven's charm but not its prices: flat, gridded streets of 1900s–1920s craftsman houses, an elementary school inside the neighborhood, and Elizabeth Park as the communal back garden. It is a ten-minute downhill walk to downtown and the closest established neighborhood to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center, which is why a steady share of our placements here are physicians and nurses on hospital contracts. Rental supply is the catch — this is owner-occupier territory, so whole-house rentals appear in ones and twos and move within days; we keep standing alerts rather than waiting for a search window. There is almost no commercial strip inside the boundary, so plan on walking to Old Town or driving for groceries. Students are few this far north, which keeps the September churn — and the noise — away. For clients with dogs, the detached stock with fenced yards is the most pet-realistic in the city.
Lifestyle figures
Best of Columbia for you
Quiet / leafy streets
- Elizabeth Park0.1 km
Bellingham's oldest park — a full square block of century-old trees, a gazebo and summer concerts.
Directions ↗Pinned on map - Eldridge Avenue Historic District0.5 km
Bluff-top avenue of Victorian and Craftsman landmarks looking straight out over Bellingham Bay.
Outdoors / hiking / parks
- Zuanich Point Park1.2 km
Kite-flying lawns at the harbor mouth, ringed by the working fishing fleet.
- Squalicum Harbor Promenade1.0 km
Paved loop past 1,400 moored boats — the neighborhood's default evening walk.
Beach / water
- Little Squalicum Beach1.5 km
Sandy stretch and a 2023-built pier at the creek mouth on the neighborhood's western edge.
- Locust Beach2.9 km
Wide tideflats famous for low-tide walks and kiteboarding, a short pedal up Marine Drive.
To buy (USD)
| Type | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | 290,000 | 355,000 | 455,000 |
| 2 BR | 355,000 | 435,000 | 555,000 |
| 3 BR | 460,000 | 560,000 | 715,000 |
Estimated from local rents — placeholder, pending verified sale data.
Rent ranges (USD)
| Type | Low | Median | High | Δ 12mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | 1,400 | 1,550 | 1,750 | ↑ 0.8% |
| 2 BR | 1,650 | 1,900 | 2,250 | ↑ 0.6% |
| 3 BR | 2,100 | 2,450 | 2,900 | ↑ 0.4% |
Source: Rentals.ca + Zumper Q1 2026, refreshed weekly via our rent worker.
Our advice
Before you sign a lease
- Pre-1930 houses: ask specifically about knob-and-tube wiring, side-sewer condition (repairs fall to the owner but disrupt tenants) and any decommissioned oil tank
- Individual landlords dominate here — insist on a written move-in condition report and confirm who handles yard maintenance in the lease
- Western bluff streets near Eldridge ice up in cold snaps; check for off-street parking before committing to a winter move-in
Pacific Relocation
Want our help finding a place here?
Book a free 30-min Discovery Call with Pacific Relocation.
Last reviewed 2026-06-09.