Washington
BASIC INFORMATION
| 2010 Census Population: |
6,724,540 (13th) |
| Land Area: |
66,455.5 square miles (20th) |
| Density: |
101.2 persons per square mile (25th) |
| Capital: |
Olympia |
| Became a State: |
November 11, 1889 (42nd) |
| Bordering States: |
Idaho, Oregon |
| International Border: |
Canada |
| Abbreviation: |
WA |
| ANSI Code: |
53 |
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HISTORY
The United States acquired the area of Washington through a treaty with Great Britain in 1846. Washington Territory was organized from part of Oregon Territory on March 2, 1853; it included all of present-day Washington, northern Idaho, and northwestern Montana. In 1859, when Oregon was admitted as a state, the remainder of Oregon Territory the rest of Idaho, additional area of Montana, and part of Wyoming was added to Washington Territory. Washington Territory assumed generally the same boundary as the present state when Idaho Territory was organized in 1863. Washington was admitted to the Union on November 11, 1889, as the 42nd state.
Although the territory had not yet been legally established, census data for Washington are available beginning with the 1850 census. The 1850 and 1860 populations are for the entire territory as legally established in 1859, when it included all of Idaho and part of Montana and Wyoming. The population of the entire legally established Oregon Territory (of which the area of Washington was a part) in 1850 was 13,294.
Data for the legally established state of Washington are available beginning with the 1890 census.
AMERICAN INDIAN AREAS
Washington has 27 federally recognized American Indian reservations, 15 with off-reservation trust land. There is also one tribal designated statistical area (TDSA).
METROPOLITAN AND MICROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS AND RELATED STATISTICAL AREAS
Washington has 12 metropolitan statistical areas, 9 micropolitan statistical areas, 2 metropolitan divisions, and 1 combined statistical area.
COUNTIES
There are 39 counties in Washington. All counties are functioning governmental units, each governed by a board of county commissioners except for Clallam, King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Whatcom Counties which are each governed by a county council. Six counties, Clallam, King, Pierce, San Juan, Snohomish, and Whatcom, have Home Rule Charters, which among other things, give the counties broad planning powers.
COUNTY SUBDIVISIONS
There are 242 county subdivisions in Washington. They are all census county divisions (CCDs), which are delineated for statistical purposes, have no legal function, and are not governmental units. CCDs were first established in Washington for the 1950 census. Prior to 1950, the minor civil divisions included election precincts, townships and/or land survey townships, and American Indian reservations.
PLACES
Washington has 628 places, 281 incorporated places and 347 are census designated places (CDPs). The incorporated places consist of 208 cities and 73 towns. A minimum population of 3,000 is required for incorporation if the new entity is within 5 air miles of the boundary of a city with a population of 15,000 or more.
CENSUS TRACTS/BLOCK GROUPS/BLOCKS
Washington has 1,458 census tracts, 4,783 block groups, and 195,574 census blocks.
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS
For the 111th Congress (January 2009-January 2011), Washington has nine congressional districts. Beginning with the 113th Congress (January 2013-January 2015), Washington will have ten congressional districts as a result of reapportionment based on the 2010 Census.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Washington has 295 unified school districts.
STATE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS
There are 49 state senate districts and 49 state house districts in Washington.
ZIP CODE TABULATION AREAS
There are 598 ZIP Code tabulation areas (ZCTAs) in Washington.
HISTORICAL CENTERS OF POPULATION
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/2010census/centerpop2010/historical/historical_cenpop_53.html
| Year |
North Latitude |
West Longitude |
| 20106 |
47° 19′ 51″ |
121° 37′ 12″ |
| 20006 |
47° 20′ 30″ |
121° 37′ 28″ |
| 19905 |
47° 21′ 09″ |
121° 36′ 46″ |
| 19804 |
47° 20′ 11″ |
121° 31′ 57″ |
| 19703 |
47° 21′ 10″ |
121° 31′ 57″ |
| 19603 |
47° 21′ 11″ |
121° 24′ 04″ |
| 19503 |
47° 20′ 26″ |
121° 23′ 04″ |
| 19402 |
47° 19′ 48″ |
121° 09′ 34″ |
| 19302 |
47° 20′ 36″ |
121° 09′ 12″ |
| 19201 |
47° 24′ 05″ |
121° 14′ 24″ |
| 19101 |
47° 23′ 06″ |
121° 04′ 16″ |
| 19001 |
47° 19′ 50″ |
120° 46′ 35″ |
| 18901 |
47° 15′ 44″ |
120° 52′ 30″ |
| 18801 |
47° 05′ 32″ |
120° 36′ 29″ |
1 Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1923
2 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, recomputation for historical county level data which relied upon aggregate county level population data with an estimated county centroid resulting in a possible error of up to one mile.
3 Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Centers of Population for States and Counties, 1974
4 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division, recomputation from archived national block group/enumeration area data resulting in a possible error of up to 1,000 feet.
5 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division, recomputation from archived national block group data resulting in a possible error of up to 1,000 feet.
6 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, computation from national block-level data
MOST POPULOUS, LARGEST IN AREA, AND MOST DENSELY POPULATED AREAS
| |
Population |
Land Area
(square miles) |
Population Density
(Persons per square mile) |
| |
Name |
Population |
Name |
Area |
Name |
Density |
| County |
King County |
1,931,249 |
Okanogan County |
5,267.98 |
King County |
912.9 |
| Place |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| - Inc Place |
Seattle city |
608,660 |
Seattle city |
83.94 |
Seattle city |
7,250.9 |
| - CDP |
South Hill CDP |
52,431 |
Vashon CDP |
36.92 |
White Center CDP |
6,020.8 |
LISTS OF ENTITIES
American Indian Areas
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/guidestloc/files/aiannh10.txt
Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas and Related Statistical Areas
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/guidestloc/files/cbsa10.txt
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/guidestloc/files/metdiv10.txt
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/guidestloc/files/csa10.txt
Counties
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_counties_53.txt
County Subdivisions
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_cousubs_53.txt
Places
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_53.txt
Census Tracts
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_tracts_53.txt
Congressional Districts
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_cd111_national.txt
School Districts
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_unsd_national.txt
State Legislative Districts
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_sldl_national.txt
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_sldu_national.txt
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_zcta_national.txt
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