Kittitas County, Washington

Kittitas County, Washington
Map of Washington highlighting Kittitas County
Location in the state of Washington
Map of the United States highlighting Washington
Washington's location in the U.S.
Founded November 24, 1883
Seat Ellensburg
Largest city Ellensburg
Area
 • Total 2,333 sq mi (6,042 km2)
 • Land 2,297 sq mi (5,949 km2)
 • Water 36 sq mi (93 km2), 1.5%
Population (est.)
 • (2014) 42,522
 • Density 19/sq mi (7/km²)
Congressional district 8th
Time zone Pacific: UTC-8/-7
Website www.co.kittitas.wa.us

Kittitas County /ˈkɪtᵻtæs/ is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2010 census, the population was 40,915.[1] Its county seat and largest city is Ellensburg.[2] The county was created on November 24, 1883 when it separated from Yakima County.[3]

There are numerous interpretations of the name, which is from the language of the Yakama Nation. According to one source, it "has been said to mean everything from 'white chalk' to 'shale rock' to 'shoal people' to 'land of plenty'. Most anthropologists and historians concede that each interpretation has some validity depending upon the particular dialect spoken."[4]

Kittitas County comprises the Ellensburg, WA Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,333 square miles (6,040 km2), of which 2,297 square miles (5,950 km2) is land and 36 square miles (93 km2) (1.5%) is water.[5] The highest point in the county is Mount Daniel at 7,959 feet (2,426 m) above sea level.

Geographic features

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18908,777—
19009,70410.6%
191018,56191.3%
192017,737−4.4%
193018,1542.4%
194020,23011.4%
195022,2359.9%
196020,467−8.0%
197025,03922.3%
198024,877−0.6%
199026,7257.4%
200033,36224.8%
201040,91522.6%
Est. 201442,522[6]3.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9]
1990–2000[10] 2010–2014[1]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 33,362 people, 13,382 households, and 7,788 families residing in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile (6/km²). There were 16,475 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.77% White, 0.71% Black or African American, 0.91% Native American, 2.19% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 2.30% from other races, and 1.97% from two or more races. 5.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 19.4% were of German, 11.7% English, 9.0% Irish, 7.8% United States or American and 6.6% Norwegian ancestry. 93.2% spoke English and 4.5% Spanish as their first language.

There were 13,382 households out of which 26.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.80% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.80% were non-families. 28.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the county, the population was spread out with 20.60% under the age of 18, 21.60% from 18 to 24, 24.60% from 25 to 44, 21.60% from 45 to 64, and 11.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 98.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,546, and the median income for a family was $46,057. Males had a median income of $36,257 versus $25,640 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,928. About 10.50% of families and 19.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.60% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.

An irrigated hillside near Ellensburg

Flora and fauna

There are a variety of species represented within Kittitas County. These include a diversity of grasses, herbs, trees, birds, mammals and amphibians. The genus of ricegrass known as Oryzopsis was one of the earliest grasses classified within the county.[12] Among the amphibian species found are the Cascades frog and the Rough-skinned Newt, the latter being a common far western USA taxon; in fact, examples of neoteny have been found in individual newts of this species within the county.[13]

Communities

Cities

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Events

See also

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ Illustrated History of Klickitat, Yakima, & Kittitas Counties, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington. Interstate Publishing Company. 1904. p. 244.
  4. ↑ Cochran, Jennifer (2007). "Kittitas County About the County".
  5. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  7. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  11. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  12. ↑ Charles Vancouver Piper (1906) Flora of the State of Washington, Smithsonian Institution, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC
  13. ↑ C. Michael Hogan (2008) Rough-skinned Newt ("Taricha granulosa"), GlobalTwitcher, ed. N. Stromberg
  14. ↑ http://www.kittitascountyfair.com/history.asp

Further reading

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kittitas County.
 King County Chelan County Douglas County
Pierce County Grant County
   Kittitas County, Washington  
Yakima County

Coordinates: 47°07′N 120°41′W / 47.12°N 120.68°W / 47.12; -120.68

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