Looking for a place to live, how about a whatcom county home? It seems like everywhere we turn the newspapers are screaming how bad the economy is with bold print. Even our local news puts the emphasis on the declining economy, but this perception is based on national news and national problems. If someone were to take the time researching the local and state numbers they would find that life is of a different sort here in western Washington. In fact the latest numbers have shown quite the opposite for our area. Even with the slow down in the national market, sales are steady for whatcom county homes. The current numbers are showing 201 homes sold for the month of November and half way through December we are on pace with 102 homes sold. Much of this could have to do with the median household income in Whatcom County rose 4.7 percent last year and now stands at $53,573. This is nearly a 5 percent increase from 2006, and a 12.2 percent increase over 2005. Statewide the median income was up about 8.9 percent over the same time period.

As our community has grown, we have had to diversify our job fields in a way that makes it easier for us to handle the down times. With the Georgia Pacific mill gone we have found a way around problems so a loss of a single plant can no longer cripple the economy of our area.

Even a slow down in construction, which has been our big job growth area the last five years, is not a major impediment to the local economy. That is not to say that everything is perfect. Our median income still trails the statewide median, but then this has been the case for more than 20 years. Let's not forget that when the United States dollar slumps it usually means a increase in Canadian investors coming down to Whatcom county to buy goods, foods, services and to invest in Whatcom properties.