Ferndale is a city in Whatcom County, Washington, United States.

[4] Ferndale is the third largest city in Whatcom County and is situated near the Lummi Nation within the Bellingham metropolitan area.

A Lummi settlement was historically located on a prairie on the east bank of the Ferndale area.

Billy Clark, a Texan who came to the Northwest during the Gold Rush, was the first European full-time resident of what eventually became the City of Ferndale.

Ferndale borders Hovander Homestead Park and Tennant Lake along its southeast boundary.

Although Ferndale has slightly higher average wind speeds for much of the year, average temperatures, cloud cover and rainfall are similar to other lowland communities in western Whatcom County, such as Bellingham and Lynden.

[citation needed] Originally, Ferndale's economy was based on timber, and shortly after, agriculture of the surrounding land.

[14] On April 22, 2020, Alcoa announced plans to close the Intalco aluminum smelter, located five miles away, laying off 700 workers.

The town is also bisected by the BNSF Railway, which provides freight service and carries Amtrak Cascades passenger trains.