Nooksack is a small city in western Whatcom County, Washington, in the Nooksack River Valley about five miles south of the Canadian border. It is surrounded by some of the most productive farmland in the county, with dairy operations and family farms defining the rural landscape. The city takes its name from the Nooksack River, whose forks drain the glaciers of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan to the east, and from the Nooksack people, the Indigenous community of the region. Nooksack grew as a farming community serving the surrounding valley, and it remains a quiet residential town today, with a population of about 1,500. Its small land area — less than one square mile — keeps it compact, while the wider Nooksack Valley supplies the agricultural economy and open space around it. The Nooksack Valley School District provides public education, operating elementary schools in Nooksack and nearby Everson along with middle and high school campuses that draw students from across the valley. Recreation is tied to the river and the mountains. The Nooksack River supports salmon runs and offers fishing and river access at sites such as Nugent's Corner, while the forks of the river climb toward Mount Baker's glaciers and the North Cascades. The town is close to Lynden's Dutch-heritage shops and the amenities of Bellingham, about a short drive west. State Route 9 runs through the valley connecting Nooksack to Everson, Sumas, and the Canadian border crossing, while Bellingham and Interstate 5 lie to the west. For residents, Nooksack offers a small-town, agricultural setting near the border, with the recreation of Mount Baker country and the services of Bellingham within easy reach.