171,000 people plan to leave King County in the next year. Here's where they're going | KOMO (2024)

FAQs

Will 171000 people plan to leave King County? ›

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Seattle has the second-highest percentage of people considering or planning to move away. Over the next 12 months, census workers report that 171,000 households will leave King County. KOMO News poured through census records to find out where so many people are headed.

I've also known a lot of Seattleites who chose to relocate to Vancouver BC, Idaho/Montana, Hawaii, and Arizona. As well as inland locations in Washington, Oregon and California.

The Census Bureau reported that overall patterns of population growth and decline are moving toward pre-pandemic rates for the nation's 3,144 counties. King County had net domestic outmigration of -16,035 in 2022, compared to -37,655 in 2021.

People from Washington moved to every state in the country in 2022, with the exception of West Virginia. Among the 48 remaining states and Washington, D.C., the influx of former-Washington residents ranged from about 60 to nearly 31,900.

The King County Four‑to‑One Program is an innovative land use management technique authorized under the Washington State Growth Management Act[i] that seeks to create a continuous band of open space along the urban growth area boundary and prevent sprawl.

King County's current boundaries situate it between Puget Sound to the west and the crest line of the Cascade Range to the east. It borders Snohomish County to the north and Pierce County to the south.

By far, the greatest number of people who leave King County go to either Snohomish or Pierce counties, and typically, they're doing it in part because King County housing is too expensive.

According to a recent study, Seattle now holds the ninth-highest cost of living among 269 urban areas analyzed in the third quarter of 2023.

A handful of King County cities grew faster than Seattle. The fastest-growing city in the county — and the state — was Black Diamond, a small city about 30 miles southeast of Seattle. Its population hit 6,880 in 2023, up by more than 700, for a one-year growth rate of 12%.

King County is located in Washington with a population of 2,254,371. King County is one of the best places to live in Washington. In King County, most residents own their homes. In King County there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks.

Who runs King County? ›

Serving his fourth-term as King County Executive, Dow Constantine leads one of the largest regional governments in the United States. His priority is that every person be able to thrive, be economically secure, and contribute to the life of our community.

More Texans moving to California. The U.S. Census Bureau shows 42,000 Texans moved to California last year - that's more than any state.

Washington

Former Washington residents are finding refuge from the state's skyrocketing cost of living in places like Oregon and Idaho.

New York and California were the top two states that had the highest number of people moving out as a share of their total number of movers. Many New Yorkers moved to cheaper states such as New Jersey where they still had the ease of commuting to work.

A handful of King County cities grew faster than Seattle. The fastest-growing city in the county — and the state — was Black Diamond, a small city about 30 miles southeast of Seattle. Its population hit 6,880 in 2023, up by more than 700, for a one-year growth rate of 12%.

The average total life expectancy at birth in King County is 81.7 years. The average total years of healthy life is 72.4 years. Averages differ by gender, race, and income level.

8.43% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in King County, WA (186k out of 2.21M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%.