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Skagit County, Washington facts for kids

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Skagit County
Tulip fields in the Skagit Valley
Tulip fields in the Skagit Valley
Official seal of Skagit County
Seal
Map of Washington highlighting Skagit County
Location within the U.S. state of Washington
Map of the United States highlighting Washington
Washington's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Washington
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)
 • Total 129,523
 • Estimate 
(2023)
131,417 Increase
 • 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.

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

Fir-Conway Lutheran Church 05
Fir-Conway Lutheran Church.

Skagit County has many interesting natural spots:

Neighboring Counties

Skagit County shares borders with these other counties:

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
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

  • I-5.svg Interstate 5
  • WA-9.svg State Route 9
  • WA-20.svg State Route 20

Cities and Towns

Anacortes - Majestic Inn 01
Majestic Inn, Anacortes, Washington.

Skagit County has several cities and towns where people live.

Cities

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

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Skagit para niños

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