San Juan County, Washington Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
San Juan 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.
-
A
Health Above averageAmong the top 3 healthiest counties in Washington
-
B
Income Around averageAmong the top 5 wealthiest counties in Washington
-
A+
Education Top gradeAmong the top 3 best educated counties in Washington
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | San Juan County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,478 | 7,801,159 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 29.8 | 109.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.80% | 1.21% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 57.8 | 36.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 9,015 | 3,058,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in San Juan County grew by 19.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 18,478 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in San Juan County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 33.5% of residents. That is 17.2 points above Washington as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,325 12.6% -8.8 pts
- Millennials 29–44 2,937 15.9% -7.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,238 22.9% +3.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 6,183 33.5% +17.2 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 50.9% of the people living in San Juan County and men 49.1%.
- Women 50.9% Washington 49.7%
- Men 49.1% Washington 50.3%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in San Juan County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
San Juan County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | San Juan County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $85,574 | $98,224 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.97% | 5.64% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 5.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in San Juan County is about 13% lower than in Washington.
Housing
| Metric | San Juan County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $420,588 | $485,016 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,512 | $1,759 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.0% | 63.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in San Juan County is about 23.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,512 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in San Juan County spend about 25 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 103 hours, about 4.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | San Juan County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 12.3 | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 24.7 | 44.8 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 103 | 187 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,186 | $5,785 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 22.7% | 19.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 6,806 | 10,119 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,522 | 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 San Juan County is 12 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
San Juan County has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | San Juan County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.3% | 35.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.03 | 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
San Juan County has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | San Juan County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 82.8 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 12.5% | 15.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 11.4% | 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).
San Juan County, WA Compared With Nearby Counties
San Juan County, WA is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 18,478 residents against a local median of 86,836. San Juan County, WA's commute, at 12.3 min, runs 30% below the 17.5 min typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median home price tells the same story from another angle: $420,588 against a local median of $500,947, 16% below it. The counties themselves spread 6.4 min on commute, so San Juan County, WA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. San Juan County, WA has the lowest commute of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Juan County, WA | 18,478 | $85,574 #3/6 | $420,588 #5/6 | 12.3 min #1/6 |
| Island County, WA | 86,836 | $92,129 | $623,893 | 17.5 min |
| Kitsap County, WA | 276,921 | $104,681 | $617,222 | 21.8 min |
| Jefferson County, WA | 33,577 | $73,997 | $380,268 | 16.5 min |
| Clallam County, WA | 77,813 | $70,660 | $500,947 | 15.4 min |
| Whatcom County, WA | 230,493 | $82,153 | $487,382 | 17.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about San Juan County, Washington.
How many people live in San Juan County, Washington?
About 18,478 people live in San Juan County, Washington, in 9,015 households of 2.0 people on average. The median age is 57.8, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 20 years.
Is San Juan County, Washington mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, San Juan County, Washington has 30 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 34% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in San Juan County, Washington?
The median home costs 4.9 times the median household income ($420,588 against $85,574), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,512 a month takes about 21% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in San Juan County, Washington?
Unemployment in San Juan County, Washington is only 3.7%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in San Juan County, Washington?
50.3% of adults in San Juan County, Washington hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 5 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →