Is Washington state's population growing or shrinking?
Updated annually
It grew by 100,900 between 2023 and 2024. That’s more than the population of Federal Way. Changes in population reflect birth and death rates, immigration patterns, regional shifts, and even the overall health of the economy. Washington state’s 1.3% annual increase was primarily driven by immigration to the state. In the decade between 2014 and 2024, Washington state’s population grew by 12.6%.
+101K
population change (2023 to 2024)
+1.3%
percent change in population (2023 to 2024)
Since 2000, Washington state's population increased in 24 of 24 years. The largest increase occurred between 2015 and 2016, when it gained 135,400 residents. The state's smallest increase during the 21st century occurred between 2020 and 2021 when it gained 16,600 residents.
Washington state gained 100,900 residents between 2023 and 2024.
Annual population change
A state’s population is influenced by three factors:
- Natural population change: If births outnumber deaths in a given year, natural population growth is positive. If deaths exceed births, it is negative. Between 2023 to 2024 natural population change was positive in Washington state, with births exceeding deaths by 16,400.
- Immigration: international migration directly into or out of a state. If more people move in than move out, population change from immigration is positive. If more people move out than move in, it’s negative. Washington state’s population change from immigration was positive, with about 81,600 more people coming from another country to Washington state than leaving.
- Domestic migration, moving between states: Washington state’s population change from domestic migration was positive, with about 2,700 more people moving to Washington state from other states than leaving.
Our government is complex. Our data doesn’t have to be.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get data-backed answers to today’s most debated issues
Between 2023 and 2024, immigration was the primary driver of population growth in Washington state.
Components of population change
Among 39 county equivalents, King County had the largest population growth in Washington state, welcoming 43,398 new residents. Columbia County lost the most, with a loss of 30 residents.
Okanogan County led Washington state in percent population increase between 2023 and 2024 at 2.1%. Columbia County ranked last with a 0.74% decline.
Between 2023 and 2024, Okanogan County gained 2.1% in population, the largest increase in Washington state.
Population change
Between 2014 and 2024, Washington state's population has increased by 12.6%. During that same period, the US population grew by 6.5%. Washington state ranks 8th among states in population growth over that decade.
Washington state ranked eighth in population growth between 2014 and 2024.
Percent change in population
Keep exploring
Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
