Clark County, WA

County

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2023 Population

510,516

1.27% 1-year growth

US Senator

Patty Murray

Democratic Party

US Senator

Maria Cantwell

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

38.9

0.258% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

8.4%

5.25% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$94,948

5.36% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

246,629

1.68% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Clark County, WA had a population of 511k people with a median age of 38.9 and a median household income of $94,948. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Clark County, WA grew from 504,091 to 510,516, a 1.27% increase and its median household income grew from $90,115 to $94,948, a 5.36% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Clark County, WA are White (Non-Hispanic) (73.5%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (6.09%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (4.69%), Two+ (Hispanic) (4.47%), and White (Hispanic) (3.74%).

None of the households in Clark County, WA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95.3% of the residents in Clark County, WA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Clark County, WA are Clark College (1,596 degrees awarded in 2022), Charter College (1,305 degrees), and International Air and Hospitality Academy (443 degrees).

Most people in Clark County, WA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Clark County, WA was 2 cars per household.

Clark County, WA borders Columbia County, OR, Multnomah County, OR, Cowlitz County, WA, and Skamania County, WA.

Photo by Dale Chumbley

United States Washington Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

Population & Diversity

Clark County, WA is home to a population of 511k people, from which 95.3% are citizens. As of 2023, 11% of Clark County, WA residents were born outside of the country (56k people).

In 2023, there were 12.1 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (375k people) in Clark County, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 31.1k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 23.9k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.3%

2023 Citizenship

95.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 95.3% of Clark County, WA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Clark County, WA was 95.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Clark County, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Clark County, WA

White (Non-Hispanic)
375k ± 1.27k
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
31.1k ± 1.87k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
23.9k ± 925

12%

Hispanic Population

61.2k people

12% of the people in Clark County, WA are hispanic (61.2k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Clark County, WA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Washington.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
244,390 ± 11,943 people
India
101,527 ± 7,771 people
China
86,360 ± 7,174 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Washington was Mexico, the natal country of 244,390 Washington residents, followed by India with 101,527 and China with 86,360.

Foreign-Born Population

11%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

56k people

10.7%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

54.1k people

As of 2023, 11% of Clark County, WA residents (56k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Clark County, WA was 10.7%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Clark County, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
10,458 ± 577
Gulf War (2001-)
7,743 ± 678
Gulf War (1990s)
5,918 ± 664

Clark County, WA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.35 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Clark County, WA employs 247k people. The largest industries in Clark County, WA are Health Care & Social Assistance (34,012 people), Manufacturing (27,761 people), and Retail Trade (26,686 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($112,891), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($94,479), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($84,098).

Males in Washington have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $73,054. The income inequality in Washington (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

247k

2023 Value

± 4,148

1.68%

1 Year growth

± 2.28%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Clark County, WA grew at a rate of 1.68%, from 243k employees to 247k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Clark County, WA, are Management Occupations (28,666 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (25,399 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (23,034 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Clark County, WA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Washington (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

247k

2023 Value

± 4,148

1.68%

1 Year growth

± 2.28%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Clark County, WA grew at a rate of 1.68%, from 243k employees to 247k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Clark County, WA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (34,012 people), Manufacturing (27,761 people), and Retail Trade (26,686 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Clark County, WA, though some of these residents may live in Clark County, WA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$64,475

Median earning men ± $1,313

$43,751

Median earning women ± $1,108

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($93,904), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($76,655), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($75,238).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($63,493), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($59,975), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($54,882).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Y-Axis

3.62%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 3.58M people employed in Washington. This represents a 3.62% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.3%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Washington.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,299
Construction
1,061
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
708
Health Care and Social Assistance

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.65M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$1.41M
Construction
$988k
Manufacturing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Clark County, WA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 51% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (45.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.93%).

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing the state of Washington. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (51%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (45.9%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.93%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Clark County, WA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 51% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (45.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.93%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Clark County, WA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Washington

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Patty Murray

Senator from Washington

Assumed office on January 3, 1993

Maria Cantwell

Senator from Washington

Assumed office on January 3, 2001

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing Washington.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Washington over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Washington

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Washington have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Clark County, WA awarded 3,423 degrees. The student population of Clark County, WA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 3,245 male students and 5,711 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Clark County, WA are White (1,782 and 52.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (534 and 15.8%), Unknown (383 and 11.3%), and Two or More Races (245 and 7.24%).

The largest universities in Clark County, WA by number of degrees awarded are Clark College (1,596 and 46.6%), Charter College (1,305 and 38.1%), and International Air and Hospitality Academy (443 and 12.9%).

The most popular majors in Clark County, WA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (842 and 24.6%), Medical Assistant (573 and 16.7%), and Other Related Mechanical Engineering Technologies (188 and 5.49%).

The median tuition cost in Clark County, WA for a public four year colleges is $4,203 for in-state students and $9,807 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

Measure

In 2018 in Clark County, WA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 100%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 94%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 8,956 (36.2% men and 63.8% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 8,956 students enrolled in Clark County, WA, 36.2% men and 63.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 5,182 records, of which 62.7% were women and 37.3% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
842 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
128 degrees awarded
General Business
83 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Clark County, WA was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 842 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Clark County, WA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Clark College
1,596 degrees awarded
Charter College
1,305 degrees awarded
International Air and Hospitality Academy
443 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Clark College with 1,596 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 1,221 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Clark County, WA, which is 0.554 times less than the 2,202 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,782 degrees mean that there were 3.34 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 534 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Measure

In 2022, 0.975% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.954% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.41M), Some college (1.4M), and Bachelors Degree (1.33M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

People in Clark County, WA have an average commute time of 25.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Clark County, WA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2023, 15% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Clark County, WA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.31%.

Housing

Rent vs Own

66.2%

Homeownership

2023

68.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 66.2% of the housing units in Clark County, WA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 66.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Clark County, WA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Clark County, WA colored by their Median Household Income (N/A).

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$94,948

Median Household Income

± $1,484

193k

Number of Households

± 3,356

In 2023, the median household income of the 193k households in Clark County, WA grew to $94,948 from the previous year's value of $90,115.

The following chart displays the households in Clark County, WA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Clark County, WA is from Washington.

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in Washington

0.468

2021 Wage GINI in Washington

In 2022, the income inequality in Washington was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.285% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Washington was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Washington in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Washington across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (70.4%)
Worked At Home (17.3%)
Carpooled (7.89%)

In 2023, 70.4% of workers in Clark County, WA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (17.3%) and those who carpooled to work (7.89%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

25.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Clark County, WA have a shorter commute time (25.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.31% of the workforce in Clark County, WA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Clark County, WA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Clark County, WA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Clark County, WA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 15% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Clark County, WA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.31%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

8.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Clark County, WA (42.6k out of 507k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 45 - 54 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Clark County, WA is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

93.2% of the population of Clark County, WA has health coverage, with 50.9% on employee plans, 16.4% on Medicaid, 11.6% on Medicare, 12.9% on non-group plans, and 1.41% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Clark County, WA see 1318 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.678% decrease from the previous year (1327 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1425 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 246 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, N/A were men and N/A were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,318 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Clark County, WA

Primary care physicians in Clark County, WA see an average of 1,318 patients per year. This represents a 0.678% decrease from the previous year (1,327 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Clark County, WA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.4% under 18 years, 20.5% between 18 and 34 years, 38.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, N/A were men and N/A were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.77%

Uninsured

50.9%

Employer Coverage

16.4%

Medicaid

11.6%

Medicare

12.9%

Non-Group

1.41%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Clark County, WA grew by 5.99% from 6.38% to 6.77%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Clark County, WA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 39.1 in Clark County, WA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Clark County, WA.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 34.4% in Clark County, WA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Clark County, WA.