By Genaro Shaffer, Bellwether Real Estate — Updated May 2026

Lettered Streets is Bellingham’s walkable downtown-adjacent indie neighborhood — named for the alphabetical streets (A Street, B Street, C Street, etc.) that grid the area between downtown and the Lettered Streets commercial pockets. Sibling to Columbia in feel.

60-second answer

Lettered Streets features early-1900s Craftsman + cottage homes on grid streets, with walkable downtown access + indie shop pockets within the neighborhood. Median home runs $550K-$800K. Best for: walkable urban buyers, downtown professionals, young creatives, indie-shop lovers. Worst for: families needing big yards, premium-residential seekers, suburban-density buyers.

What it feels like

Grid street pattern. Early-1900s Craftsman bungalows + cottage homes dominate. Walkable to downtown (10-15 min). Small commercial pockets within the neighborhood. Strong bike culture. Mature trees. Eclectic, indie energy.

The vibe is walkable-indie-character — sibling to Columbia. Many buyers consider them interchangeable.

Who fits

Fits: walkable urban buyers, downtown workers, young creatives + professionals, indie-shop + café lovers, character-home buyers Doesn’t fit: big-yard families, premium-estate buyers, suburban-density seekers

Schools

• Roosevelt Elementary or Carl Cozier Elementary
• Whatcom Middle School
• Bellingham High School

Verify boundary.

Outdoors + nearby

• Downtown Bellingham (10-15 min walk)
• Boulevard Park (15 min walk)
• South Bay Trail
• Cornwall Park (15 min walk)
• Maritime Heritage Park

Market 2026

• Median: $550K-$800K
• Entry: $450K starter
• Upper: $850K+ renovated
• DOM: tight; competitive
• Inventory: moderate

Common notes

• Pre-1940 homes typical — character + maintenance
• Smaller urban lots (3,500-6,000 sq ft)
• Some ADU + rental conversion potential
• Foundation considerations on hillside parcels
• Walkable downtown is real differentiator

FAQ

Versus Columbia? Very similar — adjacent neighborhoods with overlapping vibes. Lettered Streets has slightly more grid clarity (alphabetical streets); Columbia has slightly more mixed-use commercial pockets.

Walkable? Yes — one of Bellingham’s most walkable.

Median price? $550K-$800K.

Families? Possible with smaller-yard expectations. Less family-density than Sunnyland.

Schools? Roosevelt or Carl Cozier + Whatcom Middle + Bellingham High.

Investment potential? Strong — walkable urban demand consistent + ADU potential.

Sibling neighborhoods

Columbia · Downtown · Sehome · Sunnyland

Talk to Genaro

📞 (360) 389-6616 · ✉️ genaro@bellwetherrealestate.com · 📩 Contact

Don’t go generic — go with Genaro.

Genaro Shaffer · Licensed WA Real Estate Broker #27119 · Bellwether Real Estate · 11+ years · 67+ transactions · 5.0 Zillow 📞 (360) 389-6616, Bellingham WA 98225 Powered by Bellwether Real Estate · Member NWMLS · Equal Housing Opportunity