Bellingham ( ) is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the State of Washington, United States. It is the thirteenth-largest city in the state, with 80,885 residents at the 2010 Census, or sixth-largest by metropolitan area after Seattle-Tacoma, Spokane, the northern side of the Portland metropolitan area, the Tri-Cities, and Yakima. The boundaries of the city encompass the former towns of Fairhaven, Whatcom, Sehome, and Bellingham.