People have migrated to Thurston County because of its relatively stable economy, high quality of life, and lower cost of living compared to neighboring counties to the north. In fact, since the 1960s, it has ranked as one of the fastest growing counties in the state. The following data describes some aspects of this growth.
Area
Thurston County
Land Area
County
Unincorporated
Total |
|
Square Miles
737
87
824 |
Population
Recent
2009
2000 |
|
Number
249,800
207,355 |
Projection
2010
2020
2030 |
|
Number
255,000
319,000
373,000 |
Comparison
1990-2000
2000-2009 |
|
Percent Increased
2.5%
2.1% |
Racial & Ethnic Composition in 2000
Race & Ethnicity
White
Black/African American
American Indian & Alaskan Native
Asian Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islanders
Other Race
Two or more Races
Hispanic* |
Number
177,617
4,881
3,143
9,145
1,078
4,584
4,225
9,393 |
Square Miles
85.7%
2.4%
1.5%
4.4%
1.0%
2.2%
2.0%
4.5% |
*Persons of Hispanic origin can be any race.
Age Distribution 2005-2007
Age
19 and under
20-64
65+
Median Age |
Number 58,377
146,944
27,792
38 |
Percent
25%
63%
12%
--- |
For more detailed census and demographic information about Thurston County, link to the Profile 2009 page in the Thurston Regional Planning Council Web site: http://www.trpc.org/programs/estimates+and+forecasts/demographics/the+profile.htm