Skagit County, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Skagit County
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![]() Tulip fields in the Skagit Valley
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![]() Location within the U.S. state of Washington
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![]() Washington's location within the U.S. |
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Country | ![]() |
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State | ![]() |
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Founded | November 28, 1883 | |
Named for | Skagit tribes | |
Seat | Mount Vernon | |
Largest city | Mount Vernon | |
Area | ||
• Total | 1,920 sq mi (5,000 km2) | |
• Land | 1,731 sq mi (4,480 km2) | |
• Water | 189 sq mi (490 km2) 9.8%% | |
Population
(2020)
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• Total | 129,523 | |
• Estimate
(2023)
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131,417 ![]() |
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• Density | 71/sq mi (27/km2) | |
Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) | |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) | |
Congressional district | 2nd |
Skagit County is a county in the state of Washington. In 2020, about 129,523 people lived there. The main city and county seat is Mount Vernon.
Skagit County was created in 1883 from Whatcom County. It is named after the Skagit Indian tribe. This tribe lived in the area long before European-Americans settled there.
The county is part of the Mount Vernon-Anacortes area. It is also included in the larger Seattle-Tacoma region. Skagit County is in the Puget Sound region. It is famous for its farms and the yearly tulip festival.
Contents
Exploring Skagit County's Geography
Skagit County covers about 1,920 square miles. Most of this is land (1,731 square miles), and 189 square miles (9.8%) is water. The county is known for the wide, rich valley of the Skagit River. This area is a major center for growing beautiful tulips and tasty strawberries.
Cool Places in Skagit County
Skagit County has many interesting natural spots:
- Allan Island
- Burrows Island
- Cascade Mountains
- Cypress Island
- Fir Island
- Fidalgo Island
- Guemes Island
- Hart Island
- Hope Island
- Kiket Island
- Pass Island
- Samish Island
- Sauk River
- Sinclair Island
- Skagit Island
- Skagit River
- Vendovi Island
- Mount Buckner, the highest point in Skagit County
Neighboring Counties
Skagit County shares borders with these other counties:
- Whatcom County – to the north
- Okanogan County – to the east
- Chelan County – to the southeast
- Snohomish County – to the south
- Island County – to the southwest
- San Juan County – to the west
Protected Natural Areas
Parts of these national protected areas are found in Skagit County:
- Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
- North Cascades National Park
- Ross Lake National Recreation Area
- Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail
People of Skagit County
Historical population | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1890 | 8,747 | — | |
1900 | 14,272 | 63.2% | |
1910 | 29,241 | 104.9% | |
1920 | 33,373 | 14.1% | |
1930 | 35,142 | 5.3% | |
1940 | 37,650 | 7.1% | |
1950 | 43,273 | 14.9% | |
1960 | 51,350 | 18.7% | |
1970 | 52,381 | 2.0% | |
1980 | 64,138 | 22.4% | |
1990 | 79,555 | 24.0% | |
2000 | 102,979 | 29.4% | |
2010 | 116,901 | 13.5% | |
2020 | 129,523 | 10.8% | |
2023 (est.) | 131,417 | 12.4% | |
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020 |
In 2010, there were 116,901 people living in Skagit County. About 83.4% of the people were white. About 16.9% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino background.
The average age of people in the county was 40.1 years old. The average income for a family was about $63,468. About 11.7% of the people lived below the poverty line.
Protecting the Environment
Skagit County cares about protecting its natural areas. In 2006, a group called the Skagit County Marine Resources Committee studied how to protect ocean life. They looked into creating special "no-take" areas in the ocean. These areas would help protect fish like rockfish from being overfished.
Getting Around Skagit County
Skagit Transit provides bus service throughout the county. You can also take buses to nearby cities like Everett and Bellingham. Skagit Transit also runs the Guemes Island ferry. This ferry connects Anacortes to Guemes Island.
Main Roads
Cities and Towns


Skagit County has several cities and towns where people live.
Cities
- Anacortes
- Burlington
- Mount Vernon (This is the county seat, where the main government offices are.)
- Sedro-Woolley
Towns
Other Communities
These are smaller communities in Skagit County:
Native American Reservations
Parts of these reservations are in Skagit County:
- Swinomish Indian Reservation
- Upper Skagit Indian Reservation
- Samish Indian Reservation
Learning and Schools
Many school districts serve students in Skagit County:
- Anacortes School District
- Burlington-Edison School District
- Concrete School District
- Conway School District
- Darrington School District
- La Conner School District
- Mount Vernon School District
- Sedro-Woolley School District
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Skagit para niños