View source for List of counties in Washington

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{{Redirect|List of Washington counties|counties named Washington|Washington County (disambiguation)|the historical county in Washington, D.C.|Washington County, D.C.}}
{{Redirect|List of counties in WA|historical counties in Western Australia|Counties of Western Australia}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox subdivision type
| name               = Counties of Washington
| alt_name           =  
| map                = {{Washington County Labelled Map}}[[File:Washington-counties-map.gif|400px]]
| category           = 
| territory          = [[Washington (state)|State of Washington]]
| start_date         =
| current_number     = 39
| number_date        =
| population_range   = 2,416 ([[Garfield County, Washington|Garfield]]) – 2,344,939 ([[King County, Washington|King]])
| area_range         = {{Convert|175|sqmi}} ([[San Juan County, Washington|San Juan]]) – {{Convert|5268|sqmi}} ([[Okanogan County, Washington|Okanogan]])
| government         = [[County government]]
| subdivision        = cities, towns, townships, Indian reservations
}}

The [[U.S. state]] of [[Washington (state)|Washington]] has 39 [[county (United States)|counties]]. The [[Provisional Government of Oregon]] established [[Vancouver County|Vancouver]] and [[Lewis County, Washington|Lewis]] Counties in 1845 in [[Territories of the United States#Formerly unorganized territories|unorganized]] [[Oregon Country]], extending from the [[Columbia River]] north to [[Oregon boundary dispute|54°40′ north latitude]]. After the region was organized within the [[Oregon Territory]] with the current northern border of 49° north, Vancouver County was renamed [[Clark County, Washington|Clark]], and six more counties were created out of Lewis County before the organization of [[Washington Territory]] in 1853; 28 were formed during Washington's territorial period, two of which only existed briefly. The final five were established in the 22 years after Washington was admitted to the Union as the 42nd state in 1889.<ref>{{cite web |title=Washington: Consolidated Chronology of State and County Boundaries |url=https://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/WA_Consolidated_Chronology.htm |work=Washington [[Atlas of Historical County Boundaries]] |publisher=[[Newberry Library]] |access-date=February 10, 2020 |archive-date=January 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101141134/http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/WA_Consolidated_Chronology.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Smith|1913|p=1}} (As noted on p. 15, Pend Oreille County was not included in this tally because it was organized after the article was first published in 1909.)</ref>

Article XI of the [[Washington State Constitution]] addresses the organization of counties. New counties must have a population of at least 2,000 and no county can be reduced to a population below 4,000 due to partitioning to create a new county.<ref>{{cite web |title=Article XI, Section 3: New Counties |url=http://leg.wa.gov/CodeReviser/Pages/WAConstitution.aspx |work=[[Washington State Constitution]] |publisher=Washington State Office of the Code Reviser |access-date=March 31, 2020}}</ref> To alter the area of a county, the state constitution requires a petition of the "majority of the voters" in that area. A number of [[list of U.S. county secession proposals#Washington|county partition proposals]] in the 1990s interpreted this as a majority of people who voted, until a 1998 ruling by the [[Washington Supreme Court]] clarified that they would need a majority of [[registered voter]]s.<ref name="WSC 98">{{cite news |last=Spencer |first=Hal |date=February 6, 1998 |title=New counties dealt major blow |page=B8 |work=[[The Spokesman-Review]] |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47751458/new-counties-dealt-major-blow/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=March 31, 2020}}<br />{{cite court |litigants=Cedar County Committee v. Munro |court=[[Washington Supreme Court|Supreme Court of Washington]] |date=1998 |vol=134 |reporter=Wash. 2d |opinion=377 |url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/wa-supreme-court/1428561.html }}</ref> No changes to counties have been made since the formation of [[Pend Oreille County, Washington|Pend Oreille County]] in 1911, except when the small area of [[Cliffdell, Washington|Cliffdell]] was moved from [[Kittitas County, Washington|Kittitas]] to [[Yakima County, Washington|Yakima County]] in 1970.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 22, 1970 |title=Area Transferred |page=3 |work=[[The Daily News (Longview)|Longview Daily News]] |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43946636/longview_daily_news/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=February 10, 2020}}</ref>

[[King County, Washington|King County]], home to the state's largest city, [[Seattle]], holds almost 30% of Washington's population (2,344,939 residents of 8,001,020 in 2025), and has the highest population density, with more than 1,000 people per square mile ({{cvt|1000|/sqmi|-2|disp=out}}). [[Garfield County, Washington|Garfield County]] is both the least populated (2,416) and least densely populated ({{cvt|3.4|/sqmi|disp=sqbr}}). Two counties, [[San Juan County, Washington|San Juan]] and [[Island County, Washington|Island]], are composed only of islands. The average county is {{convert|1830|mi2|km2}}, with 205,154 people.

Seventeen counties have Native American–derived names, including nine names of tribes whose land settlers would occupy. Another seventeen were named for political figures, only five of whom had lived in the region. The last five are named for geographic places.<ref name="Smith15" />

The [[Federal Information Processing Standard]] (FIPS) code, used by the United States government to uniquely identify counties, is provided with each entry. The FIPS code links in the table point to U.S. Census data pages for each county. Washington's [[Federal Information Processing Standard state code|FIPS state code]] is 53.

== Governance ==
{{See also|Government of Washington (state)}}
[[File:Washington population map.png|thumb|upright=1.13|Population density map of Washington]]
Counties provide a broad scope of services, including court operation, parks and recreation, libraries, arts, social services, elections, waste collection, roads and transportation, zoning and permitting, as well as taxation.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Services|url=https://www.kingcounty.gov/services.aspx|website=King County|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=County Services|url=https://www.spokanecounty.org/101/County-Services|website=Spokane County|access-date=May 30, 2020}}</ref> The extent of these vary, and some are administered by municipalities. Counties are not subdivided into [[minor civil division]]s like townships; sub-county local government is only by [[List of cities and towns in Washington|incorporated cities and towns]], as well as by [[List of Indian reservations in Washington|29 Indian reservations]], while unincorporated areas are governed only by the county. There are 242 [[census county division]]s for statistical purposes only.<ref>{{cite web|title=Washington: Basic Information|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/2010/geo/state-local-geo-guides-2010/washington.html|work=2010 Census Gazetteer Files|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=February 9, 2020}}</ref>

The default form of county government is the non-charter commission, with three to five elected commissioners serving as both the legislature and executive. Seven counties have adopted charters providing for home rule distinct from state law: King, Clallam, Whatcom, Snohomish, Pierce, San Juan, and Clark. Of these, King, Whatcom, Snohomish, and Pierce, four major counties on [[Puget Sound]], elect a [[county executive]]. Councils in the other three charter counties appoint a manager to administer the government.<ref name="MRSC">{{Cite web |title=County Forms of Government |url=http://mrsc.org/Home/Explore-Topics/Governance/Forms-of-Government-and-Organization/County-Forms-of-Government.aspx |publisher=[[Municipal Research and Services Center]] |access-date=February 9, 2020}}</ref> Voters may also elect a clerk, treasurer, sheriff, assessor, [[Coroner (Washington state)|coroner]], auditor (or recorder), and prosecuting attorney. Elections are nonpartisan in non-charter counties, but charter counties may choose to make some positions partisan, though all elections are by [[Nonpartisan blanket primary|top-two primary]].<ref name="MRSC" />

==List of counties==
{{Sticky header}}
{{Countytabletop
| state = Washington
| region_width      = 120px
| fips_ref          =
| region_seat_title = County seat<ref name="NACO">{{cite web |url=https://ce.naco.org/ |title=NACo – Find A County |author=National Association of Counties |access-date=March 26, 2020}}</ref>
| region_seat_width =
| data2_width       = 
| data2_title       = {{abbr|Est.|Established}}<ref name="NACO"/><ref name="NewberryWA"/>
| data3_width       = 
| data3_title       = Formed from<ref name="NewberryWA">{{cite web |title=Washington: Historical Borders |url=https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/map/map.html#WA |work=Atlas of Historical County Boundaries |publisher=Newberry Library |access-date=May 22, 2021}}</ref><ref name="historylink">{{cite web |url=http://www.historylink.org/results.cfm?keyword=countythumbnails |title=Washington Counties |work=[[HistoryLink]] |access-date=May 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080328235316/http://www.historylink.org/results.cfm?keyword=countythumbnails |archive-date=March 28, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| data4_width       = 
| data4_unsortable  = yes
| data4_title       = Etymology
| population_year   = 2025
| population_ref    = <ref name ="censuspop">{{cite web|title=County Population Totals: 2020-2025|url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2025/counties/totals/co-est2025-pop-53.xlsx|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=March 29, 2026}}</ref>
| area_type = Land area
| area_ref          = <ref name="NACO"/>
}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=001|Name=Adams |Seat=Ritzville |Data2=1883 |Data3=[[Whitman County, Washington|Whitman County]] |Data4=[[John Adams]] (1735–1826), 2nd [[President of the United States|U.S. President]]<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=4}}</ref> |Population= 21488  |Area=1925 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=003|Name=Asotin |Seat=Asotin |Data2=1883 |Data3=[[Garfield County, Washington|Garfield County]] |Data4=The [[Nez Percé language|Nez Percé]] name for Eel Creek<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=9}}</ref> |Population= 22545  |Area=636 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=005|Name=Benton |Seat=Prosser |Data2=1905 |Data3=[[Yakima County, Washington|Yakima]] and [[Klickitat County, Washington|Klickitat Counties]] |Data4=[[Thomas Hart Benton (politician)|Thomas Hart Benton]] (1782–1858), a U.S. Senator from [[Missouri]]<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=14}}</ref> |Population= 221722  |Area=1700 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=007|Name=Chelan |Seat=Wenatchee |Data2=1899 |Data3=[[Okanogan County, Washington|Okanogan]] and [[Kittitas County, Washington|Kittitas Counties]] |Data4=A [[Native American (U.S.)|Native American]] word meaning "deep water", referring to [[Lake Chelan]]<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=25}}</ref> |Population= 81941  |Area=2920 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=009|Name=Clallam |Seat=Port Angeles |Data2=1854 |Data3=[[Jefferson County, Washington|Jefferson County]] |Data4=A [[Klallam]] word meaning "brave people" or "the strong people"<ref name="Phillips-27">{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|pages=27–30}}</ref> |Population= 78202  |Area=1738 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=011|Name=Clark |Seat=Vancouver |Data2=1845 |Data3=Original County |Data4=[[William Clark]] (1770–1838), the co-captain of the [[Lewis and Clark Expedition]]<ref name="Phillips-27"/>  |Population= 532119  |Area=629 |Size=100px}}<!--Officially named "Clarke County" until 1925 legislative acts-->
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=013|Name=Columbia |Seat=Dayton |Data2=1875 |Data3=[[Walla Walla County, Washington|Walla Walla County]] |Data4=The [[Columbia River]]<ref name="Phillips-27"/> |Population= 4141  |Area=869 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=015|Name=Cowlitz |Seat=Kelso |Data2=1854 |Data3=[[Lewis County, Washington|Lewis County]] |Data4=[[Cowlitz (tribe)|Cowlitz]], an Indian tribe<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=33}}</ref> |Population= 114885  |Area=1139 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=017|Name=Douglas |Seat=Waterville |Data2=1883 |Data3=[[Lincoln County, Washington|Lincoln County]] |Data4=[[Stephen A. Douglas]] (1813–1861), U.S. Senator from [[Illinois]]<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=41}}</ref> |Population= 46473  |Area=1819 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=019|Name=Ferry |Seat=Republic |Data2=1899 |Data3=[[Stevens County, Washington|Stevens County]] |Data4=[[Elisha P. Ferry]] (1825–1895), 1st [[Governor of Washington]]<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=49}}</ref> |Population= 7517  |Area=2204 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=021|Name=Franklin |Seat=Pasco |Data2=1883 |Data3=[[Whitman County, Washington|Whitman County]] |Data4=[[Benjamin Franklin]] (1706–1790), writer, orator, inventor, and [[Founding Fathers of the United States|U.S. Founding Father]]<ref name="Phillips-52">{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|pages=52–53}}</ref> |Population= 102612  |Area=1242 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=023|Name=Garfield |Seat=Pomeroy |Data2=1881 |Data3=[[Columbia County, Washington|Columbia County]] |Data4=[[James A. Garfield]] (1831–1881), 20th U.S. President<ref name="Phillips-52"/> |Population= 2416  |Area=710 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=025|Name=Grant |Seat=Ephrata |Data2=1909 |Data3=[[Douglas County, Washington|Douglas County]] |Data4=[[Ulysses S. Grant]] (1822–1885), 18th U.S. President<ref name="Phillips-57">{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=57}}</ref> |Population= 105727  |Area=2680 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=027|Name=Grays Harbor |Seat=Montesano |Data2=1854 |Data3=[[Thurston County, Washington|Thurston County]] |Data4=[[Grays Harbor]], a body of water named after explorer and merchant [[Robert Gray (sea captain)|Robert Gray]] (1755–1806)<ref name="Phillips-57"/> |Population= 78144  |Area=1902 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=029|Name=Island |Seat=Coupeville |Data2=1852 |Data3=[[Thurston County, Washington|Thurston County]] |Data4=Consists solely of islands, including [[Whidbey Island|Whidbey]] and [[Camano Island|Camano]] islands<ref name="Phillips-66">{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|pages=66–67}}</ref> |Population= 85657  |Area=209 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=031|Name=Jefferson |Seat=Port Townsend |Data2=1852 |Data3=[[Thurston County, Washington|Thurston County]] |Data4=[[Thomas Jefferson]] (1743–1826), 3rd U.S. President and principal author of the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]]<ref name="Phillips-66"/> |Population= 33970  |Area=1804 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=033|Name=King |Seat=Seattle |Data2=1852 |Data3=[[Thurston County, Washington|Thurston County]] |Data4=[[William R. King]] (1786–1853), U.S. Vice President under [[Franklin Pierce]]; officially renamed in 2005 after civil rights leader [[Martin Luther King Jr.]] (no relation) (1929–1968)<ref>{{cite news |last=Brodeur |first=Nicole |date=January 20, 2020 |title=Remembering fight to change county namesake |page=A1 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/we-were-before-our-time-remembering-the-fight-to-change-king-countys-namesake-from-a-slaveowner-to-a-civil-rights-leader/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=April 1, 2020}}</ref> |Population=2344939 |Area=2115 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=035|Name=Kitsap |Seat=Port Orchard |Data2=1857 |Data3=[[King County, Washington|King]] and [[Jefferson County, Washington|Jefferson Counties]] |Data4=[[Chief Kitsap]] (d. 1860), leader of the [[Suquamish tribe]]<ref name="Phillips-72">{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|pages=72–73}}</ref> |Population= 283374  |Area=395 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=037|Name=Kittitas |Seat=Ellensburg |Data2=1883 |Data3=[[Yakima County, Washington|Yakima County]] |Data4=[[Yakama#Language|Yakama]] word of uncertain meaning, with popular translations ranging from "white chalk" to "land of the plenty"<ref name="Phillips-72"/> |Population= 48803  |Area=2297 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=039|Name=Klickitat |Seat=Goldendale |Data2=1859 |Data3=[[Walla Walla County, Washington|Walla Walla County]] |Data4=[[Klickitat people|Klickitat tribe]], also meaning "robber" and "beyond"<ref name="Phillips-72"/> |Population= 24331  |Area=1872 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=041|Name=Lewis |Seat=Chehalis |Data2=1845 |Data3=[[Clark County, Washington|Clark County]] |Data4=[[Meriwether Lewis]] (1774–1809), the co-captain of the [[Lewis and Clark Expedition]]<ref name="Phillips-77">{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|pages=77–79}}</ref> |Population= 88062  |Area=2403 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=043|Name=Lincoln |Seat=Davenport |Data2=1883 |Data3=[[Whitman County, Washington|Whitman County]] |Data4=[[Abraham Lincoln]] (1809–1865), 16th U.S. President<ref name="Phillips-77"/> |Population= 11982  |Area=2311 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=045|Name=Mason |Seat=Shelton |Data2=1854 |Data3=[[King County, Washington|King County]] |Data4=[[Charles H. Mason]] (1830–1859), 1st Secretary of Washington Territory<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=87}}</ref> |Population= 71165  |Area=959 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=047|Name=Okanogan |Seat=Okanogan |Data2=1888 |Data3=[[Stevens County, Washington|Stevens County]] |Data4=A [[Salishan languages|Salish]] word meaning "rendezvous"<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=100}}</ref> |Population= 45230  |Area=5268 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=049|Name=Pacific |Seat=South Bend |Data2=1851 |Data3=[[Lewis County, Washington|Lewis County]] |Data4=The [[Pacific Ocean]]<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=105}}</ref> |Population= 24357  |Area=933 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=051|Name=Pend Oreille |Seat=Newport |Data2=1911 |Data3=[[Stevens County, Washington|Stevens County]] |Data4=The [[Pend d'Oreilles (tribe)|Pend d'Oreille tribe]], named by French traders for their "ear bobs"<ref name="Phillips-107">{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|pages=107–108}}</ref> |Population= 14457  |Area=1400 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=053|Name=Pierce |Seat=Tacoma |Data2=1852 |Data3=[[Thurston County, Washington|Thurston County]] |Data4=[[Franklin Pierce]] (1804–1869), 14th U.S. President<ref name="Phillips-107"/> |Population= 946288 |Area=1670 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=055|Name=San Juan |Seat=Friday Harbor |Data2=1873 |Data3=[[Whatcom County, Washington|Whatcom County]] |Data4=[[San Juan Islands]], itself derived from [[Juan Vicente de Güemes, 2nd Count of Revillagigedo|Juan Vicente de Güemes]]<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=124}}</ref> |Population= 18577  |Area=174 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=057|Name=Skagit |Seat=Mount Vernon |Data2=1883 |Data3=[[Whatcom County, Washington|Whatcom County]] |Data4=The [[Upper Skagit Indian Tribe|Skagit tribe]]<ref name="Phillips-130">{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|pages=130–131}}</ref> |Population= 132975  |Area=1731 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=059|Name=Skamania |Seat=Stevenson |Data2=1854 |Data3=[[Clark County, Washington|Clark County]] |Data4= A [[Chinookan]] word meaning "swift water"<ref name="Phillips-130"/> |Population= 12669  |Area=1656 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=061|Name=Snohomish |Seat=Everett |Data2=1861 |Data3=[[Island County, Washington|Island]] and [[King County, Washington|King Counties]] |Data4=The [[Snohomish (tribe)|Snohomish tribe]], word origin disputed<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=133}}</ref> |Population= 870656 |Area=2087 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=063|Name=Spokane |Seat=Spokane |Data2=1879 |Data3=[[Stevens County, Washington|Stevens County]] |Data4=The [[Spokane (people)|Spokane tribe]]|Population= 558344  |Area=1764 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=065|Name=Stevens |Seat=Colville |Data2=1863 |Data3=[[Walla Walla County, Washington|Walla Walla County]] |Data4=[[Isaac Stevens]] (1818–1862), 1st Governor of the [[Washington Territory]]<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=138}}</ref> |Population= 49668  |Area=2478 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=067|Name=Thurston |Seat=Olympia |Data2=1852 |Data3=[[Lewis County, Washington|Lewis County]] |Data4=[[Samuel Thurston]] (1815–1851), the [[Oregon Territory]]'s first delegate to [[United States Congress|U.S. Congress]]<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=144}}</ref> |Population= 304261  |Area=722 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=069|Name=Wahkiakum |Seat=Cathlamet |Data2=1854 |Data3=[[Cowlitz County, Washington|Cowlitz County]] |Data4=Wakaiakam, chief of the [[Kathlamet]] tribe<ref name="Phillips-153">{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|pages=153–154}}</ref> |Population= 4873  |Area=264 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=071|Name=Walla Walla |Seat=Walla Walla |Data2=1854 |Data3=[[Skamania County, Washington|Skamania County]] |Data4=The [[Walla Walla (tribe)|Walla Walla tribe]], also a Nez Percé name for running water<ref name="Phillips-153"/> |Population= 62361  |Area=1270 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=073|Name=Whatcom |Seat=Bellingham |Data2=1854 |Data3=[[Island County, Washington|Island County]] |Data4=Whatcom, chief of the [[Nooksack tribe]] and named for a [[Nooksack language|Nooksack]] word meaning "noisy water"<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=158}}</ref> |Population= 236392  |Area=2107 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=075|Name=Whitman |Seat=Colfax |Data2=1871 |Data3=[[Stevens County, Washington|Stevens County]] |Data4=[[Marcus Whitman]] (1802–1847), a [[Methodist]] missionary<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=159}}</ref> |Population= 48512  |Area=2159 |Size=100px}}
{{Countyrow|N=53|Num=077|Name=Yakima |Seat=Yakima |Data2=1865 |Data3=Ferguson County (defunct) |Data4=The [[Yakama]] tribe, meaning "runaway [waters]" or "big belly"<ref>{{harvnb|Phillips|1971|p=163}}</ref> |Population= 259185  |Area=4296 |Size=100px}}
|}

== Former county names ==
Four counties changed their name between 1849 and 1925.
* Chehalis County, originally named for the [[Lower Chehalis people|Chehalis people]], was renamed [[Grays Harbor County, Washington|Grays Harbor County]] in 1915.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=8645 |title=Chehalis – Thumbnail History |first=Jennifer |last=Ott |date=July 1, 2008 |work=HistoryLink |access-date=September 26, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aNmwAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA250 |title=Session Laws of the State of Washington |page=250 |chapter=Chapter 77 (S.B. 297), Changing Name of Chehalis County |year=1915|access-date=June 12, 2020}}</ref>
* Sawamish County, originally named for the [[Sahewamish]] Native American tribe, was renamed [[Mason County, Washington|Mason County]] in 1864.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=7731 |title=Washington Territorial Legislature creates Sawamish (Mason) County on April 15, 1854 |work=HistoryLink |first=David |last=Wilma |date=April 19, 2006 |access-date=March 5, 2012}}</ref>
* Slaughter County, originally named for Lieutenant William A. Slaughter who was killed during the Indian Wars, was renamed [[Kitsap County, Washington|Kitsap County]] shortly after its formation in 1857.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=7867 |title=Slaughter County is renamed Kitsap County on July 13, 1857 |work=HistoryLink |first=David |last=Wilma |date=July 27, 2006 |access-date=March 16, 2012}}</ref> The initial proposals for this county called it Madison County or Kitsap County.<ref>{{harvnb|Smith|1913|pp=7–8}}</ref>
* Vancouver County, originally named for [[George Vancouver]], was renamed [[Clark County, Washington|Clarke County]] in 1849<ref>{{harvnb|Smith|1913|pp=1–2}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Holman|1910|pp=3–5}}</ref> and corrected to Clark in 1925.<ref name="hanable">{{cite web|url=http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=5644|title=Clark County &mdash; Thumbnail History|last=Hanable|first=William S.|date=February 4, 2004|work=HistoryLink|access-date=June 12, 2020}}</ref>

== Former counties ==
During Washington's territorial period, Washington split off from an Oregon county, three counties were disestablished, and three split into separate territories.
*[[Clackamas County, Oregon]] was established in 1844 and included the land south and east of the Columbia River until Washington Territory was formed in 1853, when the area was no longer organized as a county.<ref>{{cite web |title=Oregon: Consolidated Chronology of State and County Boundaries |url=https://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/OR_Consolidated_Chronology.htm |work=Oregon Atlas of Historical County Boundaries |publisher=[[Newberry Library]] |access-date=June 27, 2020}}</ref>
*Spokane County was established in Washington Territory in 1858 until it merged into Stevens County in 1864; it was reestablished in 1879.<ref name="Newberry">{{Cite web|url=https://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/WA_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm#Individual_County_Chronologies|title=Washington: Consolidated Chronology of State and County Boundaries|publisher=Newberry Library|access-date=February 10, 2020}}</ref>
*[[Missoula County, Montana|Missoula County]] was established in Washington Territory in 1860 until it split off with the [[Idaho Territory]] in 1863.<ref name="Newberry"/>
*[[Shoshone County, Idaho|Shoshone County]], [[Idaho County, Idaho|Idaho County]], and [[Nez Perce County, Idaho|Nez Perce County]] were established in Washington Territory in 1861, and [[Boise County, Idaho|Boise County]] in 1863, until they split off into the [[Idaho Territory]] in March 1863, leaving the current borders of Washington.<ref name="Newberry"/>
* Ferguson County, named for Washington legislator James L. Ferguson, was established on January 23, 1863, from [[Walla Walla County, Washington|Walla Walla County]] and dissolved on January 18, 1865. [[Yakima County, Washington|Yakima County]] was established in its place.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=7486 |title=Ferguson County is established on January 23, 1863 |first=Paula |last=Becker |date=September 20, 2005 |work=HistoryLink |access-date=March 5, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&File_Id=5380 |title=Milestones for Washington State History – Part 2: 1851 to 1900 |date=March 6, 2003 |work=HistoryLink |access-date=March 5, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Quillehuyte County, Washington|Quillehuyte County]] was split from Jefferson and Clallam counties in 1868 and returned to those counties a year later before it could be organized.<ref name="Smith p11">{{harvnb|Smith|1913|p=11}}</ref>

== Proposed counties ==
Several counties were proposed prior to or during the existence of Washington Territory and nine counties were proposed within the first 16 years of Washington's statehood, but none were established.
* The representatives at the Cowlitz Convention of 1851 discussed a proposal to form Columbia Territory, which included a number of new counties in what later became Washington. The next session of the Oregon Territorial Legislature created only one of these counties: Thurston County (which was originally proposed as Simmons County).<ref>{{harvnb|Smith|1913|pp=3–4}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Meany|1922|pp=11–12}}</ref>
* Buchanan County was proposed in 1856 as a division of Clark County.<ref>{{harvnb|Smith|1913|p=7}}</ref>
* Proposed counties during Washington's early statehood included Big Bend (1891), Palouse (1891 and 1903), Sherman (1891), Washington (1891), Wenatchee (1893), McKinley (1903), Steptoe (1903), and Coulee (1905).<ref name="Smith15">{{harvnb|Smith|1913|pp=13–15}}</ref>
* Since the 1990s, there have been several [[List of U.S. county secession proposals#Washington|proposals for county secession]] in Washington, largely from rural areas in the major counties of Western Washington. Cedar, Freedom, and Skykomish counties submitted petitions to secede from King and Snohomish counties in 1995 and 1996, with some support in the state legislature to put them to a public referendum.<ref name="WSC 98"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Robertson |first=Kipp |date=March 8, 2019 |title=Splitting King County? Citizens fought to secede in the 90s |url=https://www.king5.com/article/news/politics/splitting-king-county-citizens-fought-to-secede-in-the-90s/281-33fc22a2-e3fa-4b82-ae82-2ffaeba80916 |publisher=[[KING-TV|KING 5 News]] |access-date=August 3, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Brooks |first=Diane |date=March 21, 1997 |title=House OKs Nov. vote on Skykomish County |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19970321&slug=2529909 |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=August 3, 2020}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[List of United States counties and county equivalents]]
*[[Government of Washington (state)|Government of Washington]]

== References ==
{{Reflist |colwidth=30em}}
'''Works'''
{{Ref begin}}
* {{cite journal |last=Holman |first=Frederick V. |title=History of the Counties of Oregon |journal=Oregon Historical Quarterly |volume=XI |number=1 |date=March 1910 |publisher=Ivy Press |location=Portland, Oregon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VrY1AAAAIAAJ }}
* {{cite journal |last=Meany |first=Edmond S. |title=The Cowlitz Convention: Inception of Washington Territory |journal=The Washington Historical Quarterly |volume=XIII |number=1 |date=January 1922 |publisher=University of Washington |location=Seattle, Washington |url=http://journals.lib.washington.edu/index.php/WHQ/article/view/6241 }}
* {{cite book |last=Phillips |first=James W. |year=1971 |title=Washington State Place Names |publisher=[[University of Washington Press]] |isbn=0-295-95158-3 |oclc=1052713900 |url=https://archive.org/details/washingtonstatep00phil |url-access=registration |via=[[The Internet Archive]] }}
* {{cite news |last=Smith |first=Charles W. |title=The Naming of Counties in the State of Washington |date=October 1913 |orig-year=1909 |publisher=University of Washington |location=Seattle |oclc=8676092 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S2vNZw3-IYQC }}
{{Ref end}}

== External links ==
*[https://www.wsac.org/learn/#counties101 Washington State Association of Counties]
*[http://mrsc.org/Home/Research-Tools/Washington-County-Profiles.aspx Washington County Profiles] – [[Municipal Research and Services Center]] of Washington
*[http://www.countyofficials.org/Directory.aspx?DID=15 County officials] – Washington Association of County Officials
*[https://ce.naco.org/ National Association of Counties – Find A County]

== Further reading ==
* {{cite web |last1=writer |first1=Statf |author-link1= |collaboration= |year=2022 |location= |title=WASHINGTON COUNTY GOVERNMENT OVERVIEW |url=https://ce.naco.org//app/profiles/CountyGov/CountyGov_53000.pdf |url-access= |format= |department= |website=ce.naco.org |type= |language= |edition= |agency=National Association of Counties (NACo) |arxiv= |asin= |asin-tld= |bibcode= |bibcode-access= |biorxiv= |citeseerx= |doi= |doi-access= |eissn= |hdl= |hdl-access= |isbn= |ismn= |issn= |jfm= |jstor= |jstor-access= |lccn= |medrxiv= |mr= |oclc= |ol= |ol-access= |osti= |osti-access= |pmc= |pmid= |rfc= |sbn= |ssrn= |s2cid= |s2cid-access= |zbl= |id= |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-format= |archive-date= |access-date=January 3, 2025 |quote-page= |quote-pages= |quote= }}

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[[Category:Lists of counties of the United States by state|Washington, counties in]]
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