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King County Overview
King County, Washington is located in the northwest corner of the United States in the heart of the Puget Sound region. The region is the thirteenth largest metropolitan area in the country. King County is home to 1.7 million people living in 39 cities and unincorporated areas. King County has a varied topography from sea level to 6,270 feet. To the west is the Puget Sound and to the east are the Cascade Mountains. The City of Seattle is the King County seat and the Northwest's largest city. Seattle is 100 miles south of the Canadian border and 165 miles north of the Oregon border.
King County offers a wide range of lifestyles, from the sophisticated urban environment of Seattle to the picturesque, small town life offered by King County's many rural and suburban communities. King County's population is increasing at a steady rate, its residents numbered 1,808,300 in 2005 (Washington State Office of Financial Management), representing nearly 31% of Washington State's total population.
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Population in King County
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Population
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1,835,300 |
Labor Force
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1,017,200 |
Personal Income per capita
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$49,300 |
Change in Personal Income (2000-2004)
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2.5% |
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King County Population/Race
(2000 U.S. Census Data) |
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
2004 |
| White |
1,122,143 |
1,278,532 |
1,275,127 |
1,286,848
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| Asian/Pacific Islander |
62,446
|
118,784
|
195,352 |
262,437 |
| African American |
55,975 |
76,289 |
91,798 |
117,935 |
| Hispanic |
26,634 |
44,337 |
95,242 |
113,120 |
| Native American |
12,438 |
17,305 |
14,278 |
31,806 |
| Other |
16,894 |
14,844 |
65,237 |
50,488 |
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| The county had over 740,296 households in 2005. According to the county's planning policies, this number is expected to increase by nearly one-third, bringing the total households to 779,257 in the year 2010. This growth will be concentrated in the urban areas of the county, with 58,300 new households in the north, 49,100 in the east, 71,150 in the south, and 17,250 in rural areas. The county has 14 cities with populations greater than 20,000. |
King County Population/Age
(2000 U.S. Census Data)
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| |
1990 |
2000 |
2004 |
| 0-4 |
104,924 |
105,321 |
103,746 |
| 5-9 |
98,828 |
111,162 |
97,096 |
| 10-14 |
87,519 |
109,992 |
114,993 |
| 15-19 |
87,664 |
108,261 |
96,862 |
| 20-24 |
113,613 |
116,597 |
103,615 |
| 25-34 |
300,762 |
294,443 |
273,108 |
| 35-44 |
270,094 |
308,823 |
304,922 |
| 45-54 |
162,636 |
294,443 |
284,348 |
| 55-59 |
58,707 |
83,442 |
107,749 |
| 60-64 |
55,480 |
97,622 |
76,139 |
| 65-74 |
97,622 |
88,884 |
91,452 |
| 75-84 |
52,420 |
68,348 |
62,195 |
| 85+ |
17,050 |
24,540 |
22,671 |
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Income & Cost of Living Statistics
Roughly 25% of residents are in professional/managerial positions. As a result, median household income in King County is well above the U.S. average. Cost of living is generally higher than the U.S. average, but it is in line with other metropolitan areas with similar income levels (the greater Seattle area is the 14 largest metropolitan area in the U.S.)
Seattle/Bellevue/Everett PMSA Median Household Income
(In Current Dollars) |
| Year |
Income |
| 2005 |
$72,250 |
| 2004 |
$69,411 |
| 2003 |
$65,400 |
2000
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$55,900 |
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Consumer Price Index Seattle/Bellevue/Everett PMSA
all items, urban consumers, 1982-1984=100
(U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
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| U.S.City Average |
April 2006
201.5 |
| Seattle |
April 2006
207.4 |
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