Ferndale, Washington
Ferndale is a city of 15,999 people in Whatcom County, Washington, founded in 1872.
Why visit Ferndale
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 23 parks and trails, 34 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Northwest Indian College, Carnation Condensery Smokestack, The Gallery at 3rd & Main and Hovander Homestead Park.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 73°F; January lows average 34°F.
Weather in Ferndale
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Ferndale
Ferndale is a city in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. The population was 15,048 at the 2020 census. and according to 2023 census estimates, the city is estimated to have a population of 15,992. Ferndale is the second largest city in Whatcom County and is situated near the Lummi Nation within the Bellingham metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Ferndale, Washington (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Northwest Indian College
School · 4.2 mi
Lummi tribal college in Bellingham, Washington, US
Museums and landmarks6
Carnation Condensery Smokestack
Monument and historic site · 0.6 mi
Reaching into the sky for a hundred foot, this smokestack from the Carnation Milk Plant has been a part of the Ferndale skyline for most...
Parks, trails and playgrounds23
Star Park Playground
Playground · 0.9 mi
Jungle gym, swings, slides, climbing wall, merry-go-round, toddler area
5475 Ferndale Road, Ferndale
11 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes34
MugShots Espresso
Cafe · Coffee Shop
5750 Vista Drive, Ferndale
Mo-Fr 05:00-19:00, Sa 07:00-19:00, Su 07:00-18:00
Woods Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.7 mi
1867 Main Street, Ferndale
Mo-Fr 05:00-21:00; Sa-Su 06:00-21:00
The Score Sports Bar & Grill
Restaurant · Pizza, Burger, Sandwich, Chicken, American, Breakfast, Grill, Wings · 0.4 mi
2030 Main Street, Ferndale
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr 11:00-23:00; Sa 09:00-23:00; Su 09:00-20:00
22 more on the map.
History
A Lummi settlement was historically located on a prairie on the east bank of the Ferndale area. Early European settlers call the area near the Nooksack River the "lower crossing" to distinguish it from the principal river crossing at Everson. Billy Clark, a Texan who came to the Northwest during the Gold Rush, was the first European full-time resident of what eventually became the city of Ferndale. He lived here with his wife and family for over a decade. First settled in 1872, Ferndale was given its name because of the ferns that once grew around the original school house. Ferndale was originally called Jam because the town was located next to a log jam on the Nooksack River, but the original schoolteacher decided it needed a more picturesque name. Ferndale was officially incorporated on March 19, 1907.
From the History section of Ferndale, Washington on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay4
Churches and places of worship8
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries24
Healthcare2
Map of Ferndale
113 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 34°F | 4.5 in |
| Feb | 49°F | 34°F | 2.9 in |
| Mar | 53°F | 38°F | 3.4 in |
| Apr | 58°F | 42°F | 2.8 in |
| May | 64°F | 47°F | 2.2 in |
| Jun | 68°F | 52°F | 1.6 in |
| Jul | 73°F | 55°F | 0.9 in |
| Aug | 73°F | 55°F | 1.1 in |
| Sep | 68°F | 50°F | 2.0 in |
| Oct | 59°F | 43°F | 3.9 in |
| Nov | 51°F | 38°F | 5.2 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 34°F | 4.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Bellingham Intl Ap (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Whatcom County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2026-04-07: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2025-12-12: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2022-01-05: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-04-23: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Bellingham International Airport (BLI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 5 miles away.
- Marietta-Alderwood 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
- Custer 5 mi northwest, about 7 min by car
- Bellingham 9 mi southeast, about 14 min by car
- Birch Bay 9 mi northwest, about 14 min by car
- Lynden 9 mi northeast, about 14 min by car
- Blaine 12 mi northwest, about 19 min by car
- Anacortes 25 mi south, about 41 min by car
- Burlington 29 mi southeast, about 47 min by car
- Camano 49 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Arlington 51 mi southeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- FerndaleMainSt, Unknown author, Public domain
- Northwest Indian College at dusk, Cody Logan, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.