In the latest state population estimate, Seattle is grew by 20,100 in one year. Seattle’s population rebounded from its brief pandemic dip with a vengeance according to the latest population estimates from the Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM). The Emerald City set a new OFM high of 762,500 as of April 1, 2022, which is an increase of 20,100 residents (+2.7%) from the previous April.
Far outpacing the suburbs, Seattle accounted for two-thirds of King County’s annual population growth — tallied at 30,650 (+1.3%) by OFM. Seattle alone outgrew both Snohomish and Pierce County put together. Far to the south in the Portland metro, Vancouver posted another solid year of growth, adding 3,200 residents (+1.6%) and reaching a population of 197,600. Clark County added 7,800 (+1.5%) in population overall.
Overall, Washington State grew by 97,425 residents (+1.3%) year-over-year, according to the OFM. With the 7,864,400 figure this year, the state appears on pace to exceed eight million Washingtonians by 2024.
The latest figures match the pre-pandemic pattern of Seattle taking the lion’s share of the county’s population growth. About ⅔ of King County’s population growth in the past year has been in Seattle. Not much growth in the suburbs.
Bellevue grew by just 1,300 residents (+0.9%) Bellevue’s average single-family home price nearly hitting the $2 million mark. Housing supply isn’t meeting demand. Prices are jumping much faster than the population. Mercer Island shrank by 10 residents. Recently, Mercer Island City Council extended a development moratorium on a redevelopment site near the soon-to-open light rail station. Tacoma posted a 2,100 increase (+1.0%) to 220,800 residents, while Bremerton added 1,250 residents (+2.8%).
