The Town FilesSumas, Washington
City in Whatcom County · population 1,583 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $441,500
- Household income
- $89,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 31.7
Sumas is a city of 1,583 people in Whatcom County, Washington. The median home is worth $441,500, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks easier by car than 99% of Washington towns, more of a college town than 89% of Washington towns, better for families than 80% of Washington towns.
How Sumas ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Sumas is worth $441,500, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 4.9 times the median household income of $89,375, which is more affordable than 63% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,585 a month. 67.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sumas | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $441,500 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,585 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $89,375 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.9× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 67.2% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Sumas
| People | Sumas | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.7 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.9% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 32.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.4% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.5% | — |
| Work from home | 13.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 29.0 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Sumas
July highs average 76.0°F and January lows 32.1°F. About 49.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.8 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 58 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Sumas since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F0, struck on April 27, 2004 about 2.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 27, 2004.
Severe weather in Whatcom County since 1996
Whatcom County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 5, 2022 | Flood | DR-4635: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 23, 2020 | Flood | DR-4539: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Whatcom County
Whatcom County had 93,430 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,174 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Sumas itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Sumas
1 public school with 281 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sumas Elementary | PK-5 | 281 | 14.1 |
Towns near Sumas
- Nooksack, WA5.2 mi · 1,471 people · home $524,300
- Peaceful Valley, WA6.3 mi · 3,015 people · home $317,800
- Everson, WA6.9 mi · 2,888 people · home $450,300
- Kendall, WA8.3 mi · 769 people · home $338,900
- Lynden, WA9.0 mi · 15,749 people · home $596,600
- Ferndale, WA17.6 mi · 15,048 people · home $549,300
- Custer, WA17.7 mi · 518 people · home $527,600
- Geneva, WA18.3 mi · 2,652 people · home $801,100
Sumas questions
Is Sumas, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sumas scores better for retirees than 64% of Washington towns and quieter than 42%. 6.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.7).
How much does a house cost in Sumas?
The median owner-occupied home in Sumas is valued at $441,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,375, so homes cost about 4.9 times income. Median rent is $1,585 a month.
What is the weather like in Sumas?
July highs average 76.0°F and January lows 32.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.9 inches of precipitation a year and 10.8 inches of snow.
Does Sumas get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Sumas since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on April 27, 2004. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)