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King County Budget Office
The 2007 King County
Annual Growth Report

More than 20 years of growth reporting land development and demographic information for King County, its cities and unincorporated areas

2003 Annual Growth Report cover image

This material will be provided in alternative formats for individuals with disabilities upon request.

Disclaimer
This document has been edited to improve readability and allow availability on King County's web site.

Note: The 2007 King County Annual Growth Report is available for viewing in Adobe Acrobat .pdf format. You will need to have a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to view the report files. You can download a free copy of the Acrobat Reader here or visit Adobe's site to get more information.

Printed copies of the AGR are available for $45 (includes tax plus shipping and handling, without shipping and handling: $40)
  King County Licensing,
  Room 403 of the Administration Building
  500 4th Avenue
  Seattle, Washington 98104
  ATTN: AGR

Make checks payable to: King County Office of Finance.


 

More than twenty years of King County Annual Growth Reports: The King County Department of Planning and Community Development published the first Annual Growth Report in 1983 as part of the preparation for what became the King County Comprehensive Plan of 1985. Good planning practice calls for monitoring of development activity and tracking the success of Plan goals. In 1983, the Department’s “Land Development Information System” team prepared a baseline report of 1980 Census demographics, vacant land capacity data, and development data in unincorporated King County. The report was published in a loose-leaf binder so that elected officials and planners could add new information as it became available. The report was boldly titled “Annual Growth Report” with the hope that it would become an annual series.

It did in fact become an annual series, known as the AGR. The AGR series has become one of King County's most widely used documents, presenting frequently requested information in an easily used format. Each AGR contains growth trend data and maps of the past year’s development with illustrative graphs and text.

Over the years, the Annual Growth Report has fulfilled two purposes. The first is to present a standard set of data on growth in King County. Staff of the County's Budget Office collect extensive current information that can answer questions about where, when, and how much growth is occurring in King County.

The second purpose of the Annual Growth Report is to provide a foundation for evaluating King County land use and development policies. Since 1997, this second purpose has been enhanced by the simultaneous publication of the Benchmark Report, which has taken over and expanded the monitoring function originally envisioned for the AGR. The data presented in these two documents will assist in tracking the effectiveness of County and City policies and plans, including the Countywide Planning Policies and the King County Comprehensive Plan, adopted to comply with the State Growth Management Act.

Quick Find
>>Statistical Profile of King County

>>Table of Contents
(38 KB Acrobat file)

>>Highlights
Observations about King County growth

>>Benchmark Highlights
A summary of major trends and key data points

>>King County in the Puget Sound Region
Data tables within a regional context

>>King County at Large
1990 Census updates

>>King County's Cities
City-by-city data

>>Cities Statistical Profiles
For each of the County's 39 cities

>>Unincorporated Areas

>>Special Districts

>>Maps

>>Questions

The AGR and the Benchmark Report: Companion Documents

While the Annual Growth Report focuses on providing a broad range of growth-related data, the Benchmark Report is organized into 45 specific indicators which are intended to measure progress in achieving the goals of the 1994 Countywide Planning Policies (CPPs) (466 KB Acrobat file) and the King County Comprehensive Plan. The system for the Benchmark Report was established by defining the desired outcomes of the CPPs, selecting relevant indicators for each outcome, and identifying quantifiable levels of achievement, or targets when appropriate. The Benchmark Report includes measurement and analysis of trends in:

  • Economic Development - real wages per worker; median household income; new businesses and new jobs created; and educational levels attained.
  • Environmental Issues - air and water quality; noise abatement; protection of ecosystems and species diversity; restoration of salmon stocks; and improvement in waste management.
  • Affordable Housing - supply and demand for affordable housing; home purchase and rental affordability; and monetary commitments to affordable housing by local jurisdictions.
  • Land Use Policy - apportionment of new housing units and jobs among urban centers, urban growth areas, and rural resource areas; progress of local jurisdictions in meeting housing targets; and preservation of forest, farmland, and open space.
  • Transportation - Quantity and type of vehicle trips, modes of commuting, levels of congestion on current roadways, and local road repair requirements.

The Benchmark Report is being published every other month as a series of five Bulletins, one for each chapter listed above. Summary findings from all five chapters are included in Chapter II of this AGR. The Land Use Bulletin was published in August 2004. Look for the Economic Development Bulletin in October, Affordable Housing in December, and the Transportation and Environmental bulletins early in 2005. While there will be some overlap in data presented, there is a great deal that is unique to each report. Although the purpose of the two reports is different, every effort has been made to assure consistency in the data presented. In cases where there appears to be inconsistencies in data, it may be that a different measure or source is being used – e.g. median home price (reported in Benchmark Report) vs. average home price (reported in AGR). Used together, the Annual Growth Report and the Benchmark Report provide a comprehensive picture of current growth conditions in King County. The Benchmark report is at http://www.metrokc.gov/budget/benchmrk/.


Note:  The documents in this section are posted in Adobe Acrobat PDF file format. To view Adobe Acrobat documents you need Adobe's Acrobat Reader, Version 5.0 or later. Download the Acrobat Reader.

This material will be provided in alternative formats for individuals with disabilities upon request.

Statistical Profile of King County  (42 KB Acrobat file)

Cover Letter   (71 KB Acrobat file)

Table of Contents and Introduction  (38 KB Acrobat file)

I. Highlights - 2006 AnnualGrowth Report  (91 KB Acrobat file)
A brief summary text of observations about King County growth, and conclusions from last years’ numbers.

  • Puget Sound Economy: Growing Again
  • King County Population Exceeds 1.8 million
    - Race and Ethnicity
    - Age
    - Households
    - Housing
    - Educational Attainment
    - Languages and Country of Origin
    - Income
    - Poverty
    - Commute Data
    - Annual Wages
  • Buildable Lands in King County
  • Dramatic Shift of Population from Unincorporated King County into Cities
  • Sixteen Years of Growth Management
  • Growth Targets for the 21st Century
  • Rate of residential construction edges downward

    Definitions

II. Benchmark Highlights  (75 KB Acrobat file)
A summary of major trends and key data points for selected Benchmark Indicators

Introduction
Economic Development
Land Use Indicators
Environment
Transportation
Housing Affordability

III. King County in the Puget Sound Region (140 KB Acrobat file)
Data tables on King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap Counties to place King County within a regional context

Introduction
Population and Income
Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Jobs
Jobs / Housing Balance
Housing Units and Residential Building Permits
Number of Lots Applied For and Recorded, 1996 - 2006

IV. King County At Large
Updates of age, race, employment, housing affordability and income from the 1990 Census. The Subarea section of this chapter has land, job and housing data for urban and rural subareas of King County.

Introduction   (236 KB Acrobat file)
Population, Age and Race Tables
Income
Employment and Wage Levels
Housing and Rental Affordability

Sub County Areas: Introduction and Map  (429 KB Acrobat file)
Land Development Indicators
Sub-Regional Job and Housing Data
Housing and Rental Affordability, Subcounty Areas
22-Year Household and Job Growth

V. King County's Cities  (179 KB Acrobat file)
City by city data on plat and building activity with tables of land area, annexations, assessed value and land capacity

Introduction
Census Population, Race and Age Tables
Census Housing Unit Count, and by Structure Type 2000 and 2006
Median Income, 1999
Persons Below Poverty Level, 1999
Annexations and Incorporations by King County Cities, 1990 - 2006
Residential Land Supply and Capacity Estimates for King County Cities, 2007
Adjusted 22-Year Household Targets by Jurisdiction
Land Area and Assessed Values by City, 2007
Total Net New Residential Units Authorized, 2000 - 2006
New Single and Multifamily Residential Units Authorized, 1996 - 2006
Recorded Formal Plats, 2001 - 2006
Covered Employment by Sector, March 2006
Covered Employment by City, 2000 - 2006

VI. King County Cities Statistical Profiles
Detailed statistical profile for each of King County’s 39 cities.

This section provides a closer look at individual cities in King County. Each page provides a brief summary of the city’s demographic, economic, housing and development activity. The format is similar to the King County Statistical Profile on the inside front cover, so the reader can compare cities to each other and to King County as a whole. Each profile lists the current mayor and a phone number to call for further information.

Currently, there are 39 cities in King County, the largest number in any County in Washington State. A map called “King County Current City Boundaries” (690 KB Acrobat file) is found at the back of this document. It shows all 39 cities.

Here are the cities of King County and their incorporation dates:

Algona 1955    Federal Way 1990    North Bend 1909
Auburn 1891    Hunts Point 1955    Pacific 1909
Beaux Arts Village 1954    Issaquah 1892    Redmond 1912
Bellevue 1953    Kenmore 1998    Renton 1901
Black Diamond 1959    Kent 1890    Sammamish 1999
Bothell 1909    Kirkland 1905    SeaTac 1990
Burien 1993    Lake Forest Park 1961    Seattle 1865
Carnation 1912    Maple Valley 1997    Shoreline 1995
Clyde Hill 1953    Medina 1955    Skykomish 1909
Covington 1997    Mercer Island 1960    Snoqualmie 1903
Des Moines 1959    Milton 1907    Tukwila 1908
Duvall 1913    Newcastle 1994    Woodinville 1993
Enumclaw 1913    Normandy Park 1953    Yarrow Point 1959

Statistical profiles of cities from Algona to Yarrow Point
Demographics, Employment and Income, Major Employers, Housing and Development Activity

VII. Unincorporated Areas
Detailed data for each of the unincorporated areas of King County.

Introduction  (262 KB Acrobat file)
Unincorporated King County as a whole:
      Demographics, Population Forecasts, Residential Permits, Subdivision Activity
Rural King County Profile
Residential Subdivision Activity and Total New Residential Units Authorized
Transportation Concurrency Approvals
Adjusted 22 Year Household Growth Targets
Residential Land Supply and Capacity, 2007
Population and Housing Unit Tables, 1990 and 2000

Major Potential Annexation Areas  (2.1 MB Acrobat file)
Major Potential Annexation Areas
      Demographics, Employment and Income, Tax Information,
      Housing and Development Activity
Data Source

VIII. Special Districts  (1.0 MB Acrobat file)

Introduction
School District Map
Total Population by School District, 1990-2000
Estimate of School-Age Poverty Population by School District, 1999
Total New Residential Units by School District, 1995-2006
King County Council Districts Map
Total Population by Council Districts, 1990 and 2000
Total New Residential Units by Council Districts, 1999-2006

IX. Maps

Have questions?
Please send questions or comments regarding the 2007 King County Annual Growth Report to Chandler Felt via e-mail at chandler.felt@kingcounty.gov or by phone at (206) 205-0712.
 

Nanette M Lowe
King County Budget Office
King County Courthouse
516 3rd Avenue, Rm. 420
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 205-0708
(206) 296-3462 FAX
(800) 325-6165 TDD

Updated: February 12, 2008

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