Local News
Census: Wahkiakum among state's fastest growing counties
Published on Thu, Mar 29, 2007Read More News
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- The Pasco area was the fastest-growing part of Washington state in the past year, with Franklin County growing an estimated 5.7 percent in 2006 from the year before, according to the latest county population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Statewide, Washington grew 1.7 percent, adding 103,899 residents for a total of 6,395,789, making it the second most-populous state in the West after California.
Other big gainers by percentage were Wahkiakum County, up 3.6 percent to 4,026; Mason County, up 3.3 percent to 55,951 and Cowlitz County, up 2.8 percent to 99,905 people.
King County, which includes Seattle, remained by far the largest county in the state, growing 1.5 percent over the year to 1,826,732 residents. King also added the greatest number of residents, 27,613.
The rest of the top 10 counties by population in the state remained in the same order, except for Thurston and Yakima counties, which switched places. Thurston County, including Olympia, grew 2.5 percent to 234,670 people, become the seventh-largest county in the state. Yakima County grew just under 1 percent, to 233,105 people, falling from seventh to eighth place.
The only counties in Washington to lose population were Garfield, home of Pomeroy and the state's smallest county, down 3.1 percent to 2,223 people; Columbia, home of Dayton, down 1.3 percent to 4,087 residents; Whitman, home of Pullman, down 0.7 percent to 39,838 people; and Kitsap, home of Bremerton, down 0.4 percent to 240,604 people.
Washington has enjoyed steady growth since the 2000 census, when the state had 5.9 million residents.
The Wahkiakum County Eagle -- 77 Main Street, Cathlamet, WA 98612
-- Phone 360-795-3391 -- Fax 360-795-3983
