Island County, Washington#Micropolitan Statistical Area

{{Redirect-distinguish|Island County|County island|Island country}}

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Island County

| state = Washington

| ex image = Shoreline at Fort Ebey StatePark.jpg

| ex image size = 300px

| ex image cap = Shoreline at Fort Ebey State Park within U.S. Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve on Whidbey Island

| seal =

| founded year = 1852

| founded date =

| seat wl = Coupeville

| largest city wl = Oak Harbor

| area_total_sq_mi = 517

| area_land_sq_mi = 208

| area_water_sq_mi = 309

| area percentage = 60%

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 86857

| pop_est_as_of = 2024

| population_est = 86478 {{decrease}}

| density_sq_mi = 381

| time zone = Pacific

| district = 2nd

| flag =

| website = {{URL|https://islandcountywa.gov}}

}}

Island County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, its population was 86,857.{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/islandcountywashington/PST045223 |access-date=November 9, 2024 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} Its county seat is Coupeville,{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}} while its largest city is Oak Harbor.

The county's name reflects the fact that it is composed entirely of islands.{{Cite book |last=Gannett, Henry |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ |title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States |publisher=Government Printing Office |year=1905 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n155 166]}} It contains two large islands, Whidbey and Camano, and seven smaller islands (Baby, Ben Ure, Deception, Kalamut, Minor, Smith, and Strawberry). Island County was created out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory,{{Cite web |last=Reinartz |first=Kay |title=History of King County Government 1853–2002 |url=http://www.metrokc.gov/kc150/historical%20overview.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325074033/http://www.metrokc.gov/kc150/historical%20overview.pdf |archive-date=March 25, 2009 |access-date=December 30, 2007 |page=2}}{{Cite web |date=2007 |title=Washington: Individual County Chronologies |url=http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/WA_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107061011/http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/WA_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 7, 2012 |access-date=July 17, 2015 |website=Washington Atlas of Historical County Boundaries |publisher=The Newberry Library }} and is the eighth-oldest county in Washington. It originally encompassed what are now Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, and San Juan Counties.

Island County comprises the Oak Harbor, Washington Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Seattle–Tacoma, WA Combined Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|517|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|208|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|309|sqmi}} (60%) is water.{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_53.txt |access-date=July 5, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} It is the second smallest county in Washington by land area after San Juan, and second smallest by total area after Wahkiakum.

=Geographic features=

=National protected areas=

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1860= 294

|1870= 626

|1880= 1087

|1890= 1787

|1900= 1870

|1910= 4704

|1920= 5489

|1930= 5369

|1940= 6098

|1950= 11079

|1960= 19638

|1970= 27011

|1980= 44048

|1990= 60195

|2000= 71558

|2010= 78506

|2020= 86857

|estyear=2024

|estimate=86478

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 17, 2025}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=January 7, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}
1790–1960{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |access-date=January 7, 2014 |publisher=University of Virginia Library}} 1900–1990{{Cite web |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/wa190090.txt |access-date=January 7, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}
1990–2000{{Cite web |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226035610/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=February 26, 2015 |access-date=January 7, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} 2010–2020

}}

=2020 census=

As of the 2020 census, there were 86,857 people, 35,917 households, and 24,229 families living in the county.{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Island%20County,%20Washington%20p16&y=2020 |access-date=November 9, 2024 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} The population density was {{convert|416.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 41,922 housing units at an average density of {{convert|201.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the county was 78.2% White, 2.8% African American, 0.8% Native American, 4.6% Asian, 0.5% Pacific Islander, 2.7% from some other races and 10.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 8.2% of the population.{{Cite web|title=How many people live in Island County, Washington |url=https://data.usatoday.com/census/total-population/total-population-change/island-county-washington/050-53029/ |access-date=November 9, 2024 |publisher=USA Today}} 17.0% of residents were under the age of 18, 4.5% were under 5 years of age, and 27.8% were 65 and older.

=2010 census=

As of the 2010 census, there were 78,506 people, 32,746 households, and 22,156 families living in the county. The population density was {{convert|376.6|PD/sqmi}}. There were 40,234 housing units at an average density of {{convert|193.0|/sqmi}}. The racial makeup of the county was 86.1% white, 4.4% Asian, 2.2% black or African American, 0.8% American Indian, 0.5% Pacific islander, 1.5% from other races, and 4.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.5% of the population. The largest ancestry groups were:

21.4% German
14.3% Irish
14.0% English
6.1% Norwegian
4.5% Scottish
4.3% French
4.1% Dutch
4.0% Swedish
4.0% American
3.6% Mexican
3.5% Italian
2.9% Filipino
2.5% Scotch-Irish
2.1% Polish
1.6% Welsh
1.5% Danish

Of the 32,746 households, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.3% were non-families, and 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age was 43.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $57,190 and the median income for a family was $68,106. Males had a median income of $46,801 versus $35,189 for females. The per capita income for the county was $29,079. About 5.7% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

The primary islands of Island County, Whidbey Island and Camano Island are served by a total of 3 Washington State Routes, those being SR 20 and SR 525 on Whidbey Island, and SR 532 on Camano Island. SR 20 enters Island County via the Port Townsend-Coupeville (Keystone) ferry route from the West, and departs via the Deception Pass Bridge in the North. SR 525 enters Island County from the East/South via the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry and terminates at an intersection with SR 20, South of Coupeville. SR 532 begins on Camano Island at Terry's Corner and departs Island County to the East via the Camano Gateway Bridge.

These islands are also served by a fare-free/pre-paid bus service called Island Transit.

Government and politics

The county government is led by a board of commissioners with three elected members that represent geographical regions of Island County.{{Cite news |last=Stensland |first=Jessie |date=January 19, 2024 |title=Oddly, Island Transit board is now an even six |url=https://www.southwhidbeyrecord.com/news/oddly-island-transit-board-is-now-an-even-six/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=South Whidbey Record}}

Island County is divided politically between its north and south. While the north (Oak Harbor) is conservative – Donald Trump received almost 55 percent of the 2016 vote and carried most precincts – most southern and central precincts voted for Hillary Clinton.

The south-central area (Coupeville, Langley) voted over 50 percent for Clinton, just over 30 percent for Trump.{{Cite web |title=November 8, 2016 Island County Election Results |url=https://www.islandcountywa.gov/Auditor/Elections/PastElections/Results_110816.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224221921/https://www.islandcountywa.gov/Auditor/Elections/PastElections/Results_110816.pdf |archive-date=February 24, 2020 |website=Islandcountywa.gov}}

{{PresHead|place=Island County, Washington|source={{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=April 6, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}}}

{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|20,967|29,595|1,887|Washington (state)}}

{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|22,746|29,213|1,966|Washington (state)}}

{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|18,465|20,960|4,848|Washington (state)}}

{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|19,605|21,478|1,289|Washington (state)}}

{{PresRow|2000|Republican|16,408|14,778|1,818|Washington (state)}}

{{PresRow|1996|Republican|12,387|12,157|3,920|Washington (state)}}

{{PresRow|1980|Republican|10,926|5,422|2,211|Washington (state)}}

Communities

=Cities=

=Town=

Coupeville (county seat)

=Census-designated places=

Camano
Clinton
Freeland
Whidbey Island Station, formerly listed as Ault Field

=Other unincorporated communities=

Juniper Beach, a wedding ceremony locale in past years,[https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2378/45654_B284263-00087?pid=5661586 Island County Marriage Register, January-April 1939], paid subscription site accessed October 2017. has given its name to the Juniper Beach Water District.[http://www.juniperbeachwaterdistrict.net Juniper Beach Water District], accessed October 2017

Education

Island County has four school districts that provide public K–12 education to areas of the county: Coupeville School District, Oak Harbor School District, South Whidbey School District, and Stanwood-Camano School District.{{cite map |author=U.S. Census Bureau Geography Division |date=December 21, 2020 |title=2020 Census – School District Reference Map: Island County, WA |scale=1:95,099 |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st53_wa/schooldistrict_maps/c53055_san_juan/DC20SD_C53055.pdf |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |accessdate=March 16, 2025}}