Pacific County, Washington
| Pacific County, Washington | |
 Location in the state of Washington |
|
 Washington's location in the U.S. |
|
| Founded | 1851 |
|---|---|
| Seat | South Bend |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
1,224 sq mi (3,170 km²) 933 sq mi (2,416 km²) 291 sq mi (754 km²), 23.74% |
| Population - (2010) - Density |
20,920 22/sq mi (8.6/km²) |
| Website | www.co.pacific.wa.us |
Pacific County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. It is named after the Pacific Ocean. According to the US Census Bureau as of 2010 the population of this county is 20,920. The unincorporated community of Oysterville, established in 1852, was the original county seat until the late 19th century when it changed to South Bend. The county's largest city is Raymond. Pacific County is centered on the Willapa Bay, a region that provides twenty-five percent of the United States oyster harvest,[1] though forestry, fishing, and tourism are also important elements of the county's economy.
Pacific County was formed by the government of Oregon Territory on February 4, 1851.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,224 square miles (3,170 km2), of which 933 square miles (2,420 km2) is land and 291 square miles (750 km2) (23.74%) is water.
[edit] Geographic features
[edit] Major highways
[edit] Adjacent counties
- Grays Harbor County, Washington - north
- Lewis County, Washington - east
- Wahkiakum County, Washington - southeast
- Clatsop County, Oregon - south
[edit] National protected areas
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 420 |
|
|
| 1870 | 738 | 75.7% | |
| 1880 | 1,645 | 122.9% | |
| 1890 | 4,358 | 164.9% | |
| 1900 | 5,983 | 37.3% | |
| 1910 | 12,532 | 109.5% | |
| 1920 | 14,891 | 18.8% | |
| 1930 | 14,970 | 0.5% | |
| 1940 | 15,928 | 6.4% | |
| 1950 | 16,558 | 4.0% | |
| 1960 | 14,674 | −11.4% | |
| 1970 | 15,796 | 7.6% | |
| 1980 | 17,237 | 9.1% | |
| 1990 | 18,882 | 9.5% | |
| 2000 | 20,984 | 11.1% | |
| 2010 | 20,920 | −0.3% | |
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 20,984 people, 9,096 households, and 5,885 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 13,991 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.54% White, 0.20% Black or African American, 2.44% Native American, 2.08% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.83% from other races, and 2.82% from two or more races. 5.01% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.0% were of German, 10.8% English, 8.8% Irish and 8.6% United States or American ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 9,096 households out of which 23.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.10% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.30% were non-families. 29.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the county, the population was spread out with 21.40% under the age of 18, 6.00% from 18 to 24, 21.20% from 25 to 44, 28.90% from 45 to 64, and 22.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 98.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,209, and the median income for a family was $39,302. Males had a median income of $33,892 versus $22,982 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,322. About 9.10% of families and 14.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.70% of those under age 18 and 8.10% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Census-recognized communities
[edit] Other communities
[edit] See also
- Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Company
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Pacific County, Washington
- Steamboats of Willapa Bay
- Astoria-Megler Ferry
- Willapa Bay
[edit] References
- ^ Chinook Observer, The Willapa Bay Oyster Industry: Shellfish is still No. 1 [1]
- ^ "Milestones for Washington State History — Part 2: 1851 to 1900". HistoryLink.org. March 6, 2003. http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=5380.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
Media related to Pacific County, Washington at Wikimedia Commons
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Grays Harbor County | |
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| Pacific Ocean |  |
Lewis County | ||
 Pacific County, Washington  |
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| Clatsop County, Oregon | Wahkiakum County |
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