WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Vaccination rates for students in Whatcom County fell slightly below the state’s over the past school year.

That’s according to new data from the Washington State Department of Health, which shows just under 86% of K-12 students in the county were up to date with required immunizations. That was four-percent lower than the state average of nearly 90%.

It’s also the lowest rate Whatcom County has seen in the past five years by a slim margin.

Blaine had the highest vaccination rates of any school district in the county, while Nooksack Valley had the lowest.

Overall, Whatcom had the 15th-lowest immunization rates in Washington during the 2024-25 school year.

It comes as the state has seen school vaccination rates drop for five straight years.

State law requires students to be fully vaccinated against measles and at least 10 other diseases, though parents or guardians can claim exemptions for religious, medical or personal reasons.