Cause of death for homeless people in Whatcom County

Data from the medical examiner's office shows a spike in accidental deaths in 2023, many of them attributed to fentanyl or methamphetamine intoxication. 2024 data runs until 12/17/24. 

The medical examiner's office does not investigate every death in Whatcom County, and standards of how they evaluate cause and manner of death and homelessness may have shifted with administration changes. This data was obtained through a public records request.
Chart: Charlotte AldenSource: Whatcom County Medical ExaminerGet the dataCreated with Datawrapper