Census shows big drop in Point Roberts population

Results from the 2020 census show there are fewer people living in Point Roberts and residents overall are older and make less money than the rest of Whatcom County.

The population of Point Roberts dropped by 9.4 percent in the last 10 years, decreasing 123 individuals to 1,191 people. The 2010 census put the population of the Point at 1,314, a decrease of 2 from the 2000 census number of 1,316.

The population is less diverse than the county, with 1,031 respondents, or 86.5 percent, identifying as white.

According to the results of the American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the median age in Point Roberts is 58 years old, compared to 40 years old for the rest of Whatcom County. A third of Point Roberts residents are over 65, while less thanone percent are under 5 years old.

The median household income in Point Roberts in 2020 was $43,510 compared to $69,372 in Whatcom County. However, there is a wide income gap between families and married couples on the Point, with a median income of $90,000, and non-family households with a median income of $31,250. Fifteen percent of Point Roberts resident over 65 live in poverty by federal standards, and 24 percent of children under 18. Ten percent have no health care coverage.

The employment rate at 53 percent is similar to the employment rate in the county at 58 percent. The employment rate on the Point has declined consistently for the last five years. There are 2,175 housing units in Point Roberts but only 630 are occupied full time.

Forty percent of Point Roberts residents were not born in the United States, compared with 9 percent in Whatcom County. Of those, 52 percent are naturalized U.S. citizens and 48 are not U.S. citizens.

The census is mandated by the constitution and occurs every 10 years. Between censuses the Census Bureau issues estimates made using surveys and statistical models, such as the American Community Survey.