Fastest-growing counties in Washington

Written by:
February 23, 2021
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Fastest-growing counties in Washington

From 2018 to 2019, the U.S. population grew by .48%, its slowest rate in 100 years. Declining births, increasing deaths largely due to the graying Baby Boomer population, and a crackdown on immigration have contributed to many states seeing net population losses in recent years.

But in other pockets of the country, populations are growing. These shifts can be due to job opportunities, high quality of life, easy commutability to job centers, low rents, or any combination of these or other factors. Stacker compiled a list of the fastest-growing counties in Washington using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest population growth from 2010 to 2019, based on 5-year estimates.

A county typically sees population growth as a “bedroom community” (a municipality with an atypically large commuting population) to a large city. These communities are typically quieter than their feeder cities, offer lower rents and a higher quality of living, and are remote enough to be immune to the feeder city’s crime, traffic, and crowds. Keep reading to see if your home county made the list.

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Williamborg // Wikimedia Commons

#30. Asotin County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,058
--- #957 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +5.0%
--- #28 among counties in Washington, #804 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 22,421
--- #28 largest county in Washington, #1,705 largest county nationwide
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Jelson25 // Wikimedia Commons

#29. San Juan County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,237
--- #923 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +8.0%
--- #18 among counties in Washington, #539 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 16,788
--- #32 largest county in Washington, #1,993 largest county nationwide
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BrandonHansen18 // Wikimedia Commons

#28. Stevens County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,484
--- #863 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +3.4%
--- #33 among counties in Washington, #988 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 44,655
--- #24 largest county in Washington, #1,079 largest county nationwide
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Bouldernavigator // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Okanogan County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,604
--- #837 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +4.0%
--- #31 among counties in Washington, #914 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 41,842
--- #26 largest county in Washington, #1,134 largest county nationwide
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MagicalT // Wikimedia Commons

#26. Klickitat County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,666
--- #829 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +8.3%
--- #16 among counties in Washington, #510 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 21,721
--- #29 largest county in Washington, #1,738 largest county nationwide
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Joe Mabel // Wikimedia Commons

#25. Adams County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,710
--- #820 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +9.6%
--- #14 among counties in Washington, #431 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 19,594
--- #31 largest county in Washington, #1,845 largest county nationwide
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Adbar // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Jefferson County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,711
--- #818 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +5.8%
--- #24 among counties in Washington, #718 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 31,285
--- #27 largest county in Washington, #1,403 largest county nationwide
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Squarestate7 // Wikicommons

#23. Walla Walla County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +2,780
--- #683 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +4.8%
--- #29 among counties in Washington, #818 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 60,365
--- #21 largest county in Washington, #867 largest county nationwide
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Steven Pavlov // Wikimedia Commons

#22. Lewis County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +3,495
--- #624 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +4.7%
--- #30 among counties in Washington, #831 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 78,145
--- #16 largest county in Washington, #712 largest county nationwide
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Joe Mabel // Wikimedia Commons

#21. Island County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +4,233
--- #579 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +5.4%
--- #27 among counties in Washington, #753 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 82,866
--- #15 largest county in Washington, #685 largest county nationwide
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Ian Poellet // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Mason County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +4,517
--- #565 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +7.6%
--- #19 among counties in Washington, #562 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 63,804
--- #20 largest county in Washington, #833 largest county nationwide
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Neonstar // Wikimedia Commons

#19. Clallam County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +4,754
--- #554 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +6.7%
--- #23 among counties in Washington, #629 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 75,392
--- #18 largest county in Washington, #732 largest county nationwide
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Thayne Tuason // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Douglas County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +4,863
--- #549 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +13.1%
--- #8 among counties in Washington, #248 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 42,023
--- #25 largest county in Washington, #1,130 largest county nationwide
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Jennifer Gottwald // Wikicommons

#17. Chelan County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +5,234
--- #532 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +7.4%
--- #21 among counties in Washington, #577 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 76,229
--- #17 largest county in Washington, #724 largest county nationwide
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Ilyaunfois // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Whitman County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +5,484
--- #522 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +12.5%
--- #10 among counties in Washington, #270 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 49,231
--- #22 largest county in Washington, #998 largest county nationwide
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Sam Beebe // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Cowlitz County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +5,534
--- #520 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +5.5%
--- #26 among counties in Washington, #744 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 106,778
--- #12 largest county in Washington, #563 largest county nationwide
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MrX // Wikimedia Commons

#14. Kittitas County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +6,028
--- #498 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +15.1%
--- #4 among counties in Washington, #192 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 45,897
--- #23 largest county in Washington, #1,052 largest county nationwide
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Irra // Shutterstock

#13. Grant County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +10,360
--- #386 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +12.2%
--- #11 among counties in Washington, #290 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 95,502
--- #13 largest county in Washington, #619 largest county nationwide
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Joe Mabel // Wikicommons

#12. Skagit County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +10,381
--- #385 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +9.0%
--- #15 among counties in Washington, #465 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 125,612
--- #11 largest county in Washington, #504 largest county nationwide
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Michael S. Shannon // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Yakima County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +13,155
--- #339 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +5.6%
--- #25 among counties in Washington, #741 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 249,697
--- #8 largest county in Washington, #272 largest county nationwide
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Dcoetzee // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Kitsap County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +18,546
--- #280 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +7.5%
--- #20 among counties in Washington, #570 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 265,882
--- #7 largest county in Washington, #255 largest county nationwide
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Williamborg // Wikimedia Commons

#9. Franklin County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +20,680
--- #261 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +29.0%
--- #1 among counties in Washington, #37 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 92,009
--- #14 largest county in Washington, #638 largest county nationwide
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#8. Whatcom County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +24,828
--- #222 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +12.7%
--- #9 among counties in Washington, #263 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 220,821
--- #9 largest county in Washington, #303 largest county nationwide
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formulanone // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Benton County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +30,441
--- #179 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +18.2%
--- #2 among counties in Washington, #128 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 197,518
--- #10 largest county in Washington, #337 largest county nationwide
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Joe Mabel // Wikicommons

#6. Thurston County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +36,148
--- #146 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +14.8%
--- #6 among counties in Washington, #201 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 279,711
--- #6 largest county in Washington, #245 largest county nationwide
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Ron Reiring // Wikicommons

#5. Spokane County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +44,243
--- #118 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +9.6%
--- #13 among counties in Washington, #430 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 505,505
--- #4 largest county in Washington, #138 largest county nationwide
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Steve Morgan // Wikimedia Commons

#4. Clark County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +58,436
--- #90 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +14.1%
--- #7 among counties in Washington, #219 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 473,252
--- #5 largest county in Washington, #146 largest county nationwide
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SounderBruce // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Pierce County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +94,332
--- #50 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +12.1%
--- #12 among counties in Washington, #296 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 877,013
--- #2 largest county in Washington, #63 largest county nationwide
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SounderBruce // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Snohomish County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +104,589
--- #42 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +15.1%
--- #5 among counties in Washington, #195 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 798,808
--- #3 largest county in Washington, #77 largest county nationwide
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kan_khampanya // Shutterstock

#1. King County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +316,313
--- #4 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +16.8%
--- #3 among counties in Washington, #154 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 2,195,502
--- #1 largest county in Washington, #12 largest county nationwide

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