Island County, Washington Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Island County, WA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above averageAmong the top 5 healthiest counties in Washington
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B
Income Around averageWealthier than 82% of counties in Washington
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B
Education Around averageBetter educated than 87% of counties in Washington
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Island County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 86,836 | 7,801,159 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 168.0 | 109.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.01% | 1.21% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.6 | 36.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 35,972 | 3,058,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Island County grew by 7.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 86,836 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Island County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 25.1% of residents. That is 8.9 points above Washington as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 17,176 19.8% -1.6 pts
- Millennials 29–44 16,196 18.7% -4.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 15,664 18.0% -1.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 21,817 25.1% +8.9 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Washington, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.1% of the people living in Island County and men 49.9%.
- Women 50.1% Washington 49.7%
- Men 49.9% Washington 50.3%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Island County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Island County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Island County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $92,129 | $98,224 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.46% | 5.64% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 5.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Island County is about 6% lower than in Washington.
Housing
| Metric | Island County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $623,893 | $485,016 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,661 | $1,759 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.7% | 63.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Island County is about 31.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,661 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Island County spend about 35 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 146 hours, about 6.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Island County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.5 | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 35.0 | 44.8 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 146 | 187 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,520 | $5,785 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 14.1% | 19.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 19,366 | 10,119 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,803 | 1,525 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Washington:
Walla Walla County (12.2 min), San Juan County (12.3 min), Asotin County (13.2 min).
Slowest:
Mason County (32.0 min), Garfield County (28.4 min), Snohomish County (28.3 min).
The average commute time in Island County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Washington.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Island County has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | Island County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.2% | 35.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.35 | 2.50 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Washington:
King County (0.4), San Juan County (0.4), Jefferson County (0.4).
Lowest:
Adams County (0.2), Yakima County (0.2), Grant County (0.2).
Health
Island County has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Island County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.4 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 12.2% | 15.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 13.4% | 16.4% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Washington:
King County (0.8), Whitman County (0.8), San Juan County (0.8).
Lowest:
Adams County (0.8), Okanogan County (0.8), Pacific County (0.8).
Island County, WA Compared With Nearby Counties
Island County, WA is the smallest of the 5 counties compared here, 86,836 residents against a local median of 253,707. Where Island County, WA breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 20% above the local median of $518,693 at $623,893.
Commute tells the same story from another angle: 17.5 min against a local median of 21.5 min, 18% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is commute, and at 18% below the local median it puts Island County, WA at the better end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $204,729 on median home price, so Island County, WA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Island County, WA has the highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Island County, WA | 86,836 | $92,129 #3/5 | $623,893 #1/5 | 17.5 min #1/5 |
| Kitsap County, WA | 276,921 | $104,681 | $617,222 | 21.8 min |
| Skagit County, WA | 131,328 | $88,887 | $412,493 | 21.1 min |
| Snohomish County, WA | 843,136 | $111,921 | $550,004 | 28.3 min |
| Whatcom County, WA | 230,493 | $82,153 | $487,382 | 17.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Island County, Washington.
How many people live in Island County, Washington?
About 86,836 people live in Island County, Washington, in 35,972 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 43.6, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
How densely populated is Island County, Washington?
Averaged over its land area, Island County, Washington has 168 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 1.9 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Island County, Washington?
The median home costs 6.8 times the median household income ($623,893 against $92,129), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,661 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Island County, Washington?
Unemployment in Island County, Washington is only 3.6%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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