Population change: natural increase and net migration
Washington state population
| Year | Natural Increase | Net Migration |
|---|---|---|
| Year 2024 | Natural Increase 15,280 | Net Migration 69,270 |
| Year 2023 | Natural Increase 14,445 | Net Migration 72,305 |
| Year 2022 | Natural Increase 13,806 | Net Migration 83,619 |
| Year 2021 | Natural Increase 18,122 | Net Migration 42,543 |
| Year 2020 | Natural Increase 26,323 | Net Migration 98,169 |
| Year 2019 | Natural Increase 28,503 | Net Migration 89,836 |
| Year 2018 | Natural Increase 30,974 | Net Migration 88,432 |
| Year 2017 | Natural Increase 33,589 | Net Migration 73,265 |
| Year 2016 | Natural Increase 35,158 | Net Migration 95,441 |
| Year 2015 | Natural Increase 35,631 | Net Migration 65,780 |
| Year 2014 | Natural Increase 36,315 | Net Migration 59,449 |
| Year 2013 | Natural Increase 36,141 | Net Migration 38,055 |
| Year 2012 | Natural Increase 37,903 | Net Migration 15,869 |
| Year 2011 | Natural Increase 37,597 | Net Migration 19,340 |
| Year 2010 | Natural Increase 40,736 | Net Migration 11,541 |
| Year 2009 | Natural Increase 41,722 | Net Migration 22,307 |
| Year 2008 | Natural Increase 41,621 | Net Migration 41,492 |
| Year 2007 | Natural Increase 41,591 | Net Migration 63,311 |
| Year 2006 | Natural Increase 37,888 | Net Migration 83,534 |
| Year 2005 | Natural Increase 36,236 | Net Migration 54,029 |
| Year 2004 | Natural Increase 34,932 | Net Migration 46,683 |
1990-2024
- Population change is comprised of two major components -- natural increase and net migration.
- Natural increase (births minus deaths) is the more stable component of population change. Natural increase hit a nadir in 1973
when the number of births in the state fell to its lowest level in the post WWII era, a period commonly referred to as the "Baby Bust." - Beginning in 2006, the children of the baby boomers started reaching childbearing age and the number of births in Washington began to increase. This high level of births, referred to by demographers as the "Third Wave" of the baby boom, was expected to hold for some time. Beginning in 2009, women started having fewer children in response to the recession and the slow pace of the economic recovery.
- In 2024, persons age 65 and over made up approximately 17.9% of the state’s population, up by 5.6% points since 2010. The increase of population aged 65 and older means a smaller share of the population will be women of child bearing age. At the same time, a larger proportion of the state's population will be older and are thus at greater risk of dying.
At the same time, a larger proportion of the state’s population will be older and are thus at greater risk of dying. - Migration into and out of Washington is largely dependent upon the economic conditions within the state relative to the rest of the nation. The Boeing Bust of the late 1960s and early 1970s resulted in probably the greatest exodus of population in Washington history.
- The poor economic climate in California resulted in out-migration of about 400,000 people per year in the early 1990s. Even though Washington's economic growth was slow during that period, it still outpaced California's, thus serving as a magnet to many from the Golden State. More recent economic conditions, though hardly optimal, also favor Washington state relative to California.
Data source:
E-mail: OFM.Forecasting@ofm.wa.gov
Last updated
Friday, January 3, 2025
