Oakridge Business Loans, a small-business funding broker in Bellingham, WA, is at 1302 Commercial St. Whatcom County had 7,146 employer establishments in 2023, 58.1 percent with fewer than five employees, and construction led every sector. The broker helps local owners compare six funding types; approval and pricing rest with lending partners.
| Office | 1302 Commercial St, Bellingham, WA 98225 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (360) 370-4248 |
| Whatcom County employers | 7,146 establishments, 80,648 paid employees (Census CBP 2023) |
| ZIP 98225 employers | 2,164 establishments, 53.9% with fewer than five employees (Census ZBP 2023) |
| Self-employed residents | Bellingham 11.9% (±1.6); Washington 9.6% (±0.1) (ACS 2020-2024) |
| City registration | A Bellingham city endorsement on the state business license (City of Bellingham, checked 2026-10-16) |
Business in Bellingham, WA by the numbers
Whatcom County had 7,146 employer establishments in 2023, employing 80,648 people with an annual payroll of about $4.77 billion (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023). Most are small: 4,149, or 58.1 percent, had fewer than five employees. The county also had 18,794 businesses with no paid employees in 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics 2024), a separate program and year, so the two counts are not combined.
The office's own ZIP code, 98225, is a useful close-up of the city center, though a ZIP code is not the city: Bellingham covers about 77 percent of ZIP 98225's land, and the city also spreads into 98226 and 98229 (U.S. Census Bureau 2020 ZCTA-to-place relationship file). ZIP 98225 held 2,164 employer establishments in 2023, with 25,554 paid employees, and 53.9 percent of those employers had fewer than five employees (U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023).
| Sector | Establishments | Under 5 employees (share) |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 384 | 49.0% |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 334 | 71.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 246 | 23.6% |
| Retail trade | 245 | 45.7% |
| Other services | 198 | 56.1% |
| Construction | 134 | 66.4% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023.
Self-employment in Bellingham, WA
An estimated 11.9 percent of employed Bellingham residents were self-employed (plus or minus 1.6 points): 4.9 percent in their own incorporated business and 7.0 percent unincorporated (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates). Across Whatcom County the share was 12.8 percent (plus or minus 1.0), and both are above Washington's 9.6 percent (plus or minus 0.1). For funding, the split matters: an unincorporated owner's business and personal finances are closely linked, so partners lean heavily on personal credit and on how cleanly business money is kept separate.
What the main Whatcom County, WA sectors need
Construction is the county's largest sector by establishments (972) and payroll (about $816.5 million), and 1,214 new housing units were authorized in 2025 (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 and Building Permits Survey). Contractors mostly need equipment financing and money to carry payroll between progress payments. The contractor page goes deeper.
Restaurants, 446 employer establishments in 2023, carry larger crews than most small businesses and finance kitchen equipment and build-outs; see restaurant financing. Retail, 793 employer establishments, is about stock bought ahead of sales; see retail financing and inventory financing. Medical and dental practices are covered on the sector overview.
Registering and paying city B&O tax in Bellingham, WA
The City of Bellingham's business registration page (cob.org, checked 2026-10-16) describes city registration as a Bellingham "city endorsement" added to a Washington state business license through the Department of Revenue. The city's tax page says Bellingham B&O returns are filed separately from state taxes. Lenders often check that a business is registered and in good standing, so it is worth having both in order before applying.
The Bellingham, WA license and B&O checklist sets out the city steps, and the Washington State guide covers the state license and UBI number.
Local organizations worth knowing
The Port of Bellingham describes jobs and economic development as part of its work and keeps a Business Resources section on portofbellingham.com (checked 2026-10-16). Owners looking for free one-on-one advising, the chamber or other business groups will find them in the Whatcom County resource directory. None of these organizations is affiliated with us.
Buying a business or premises in Whatcom County, WA
Two common local searches are businesses for sale in Whatcom County and commercial real estate in Bellingham, WA. Buying an existing business is usually financed with a term loan, often alongside the seller's own financing or an SBA-backed loan from a participating lender. Buying premises is a commercial real estate loan, which is outside the six types we broker; we will say so if that is what you need.
Reaching the office
Oakridge Business Loans, 1302 Commercial St, Bellingham, WA 98225. Phone (360) 370-4248. All six funding types and working capital are good starting points, the communities page covers nearby Whatcom and Skagit County towns, and about us and contact details explain how we work.
Who Oakridge Business Loans works with in Bellingham, WA
Our partners have confirmed appetite for four kinds of business: contractors and construction trades, restaurants and food service, medical and dental practices, and retailers and wholesalers that carry stock. If your Bellingham, WA business is something else, call and ask before you spend time on paperwork.
What to gather before you call
- The last three to six months of business bank statements
- Current financial statements: profit and loss plus a balance sheet
- A driver's license or passport for each owner
- Formation documents and your EIN
- A simple schedule of current business debt and monthly payments
- For equipment, the seller's quote with make, model and price
No two partners ask for exactly the same file, so use this as a checklist rather than a rule.
The steps after your first call
- Reach us at (360) 370-4248 or through the contact form. When we call back, the first questions are simple: what the funding is for, how long the business has operated and its rough revenue.
- We walk through the funding types that suit that purpose and the paperwork partners tend to ask for. Nothing goes out until you say so.
- With your permission, we take the request to lending partners that offer that kind of funding. Each partner reviews it and makes its own credit decision.
- Any offer comes from the partner. Read the total cost, the payment schedule and the terms before deciding; turning it down is always an option.
Our office is at 1302 Commercial St, Bellingham, WA 98225.
By Oakridge Business Loans · Updated