Economic Impacts of the Military Bases in Washington

July 2004

Description

The state of Washington hosts several major military bases and significant installations of all branches of the military. Pierce County is the home of McChord Air Force Base and an Army base, Ft. Lewis. Kitsap County is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Naval Base Kitsap and the Keyport Undersea Warfare Research Station. Island County is the location of Naval Air Station Whidbey, and Snohomish County hosts the Everett Navy Base. Spokane County is the location of Fairchild Air Force Base. Yakima County is home to a training facility that is organizationally part of Ft. Lewis. In addition to these major facilities, there are more than 100 smaller facilities including hospitals, camps, depots, signal stations and recruiting offices.

This study found that military bases contribute significantly to economic activity throughout the state. In Island County, 88 percent of the economic activity comes from military bases. Other counties with large percentages of economic activity from bases include Kitsap (54 percent), Pierce (30 percent), Spokane (9 percent), and Snohomish (5 percent).

Other findings in the report include data that sales by Washington companies to local bases total $528 million per year. In King County alone, businesses sold $174 million to bases statewide. Forty-four companies in the state derive 100 percent of their business from military bases, and 30 others generate more than half of their business from the bases.

While much of the health care is provided to service personnel and their families on base, $116 million is paid out per year to private health care providers in Washington state. Schools also receive federal assistance for educating military dependents. Local districts receive $31.7 million in school impact aid from the federal government.

Last modified: August 9, 2004
E-mail: OFM.Forecasting@ofm.wa.gov