Clark County, Washington | |
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.jpg) Clark County Courthouse | |
 Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofWashington | |
| Coordinates:45°46′N122°29′W / 45.77°N 122.48°W /45.77; -122.48 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Washington |
| Founded | August 20, 1845 as Vancouver District |
| Named after | William Clark on September 3, 1849 |
| Seat | Vancouver |
| Largest city | Vancouver |
| Area | |
• Total | 656 sq mi (1,700 km2) |
| • Land | 629 sq mi (1,630 km2) |
| • Water | 27 sq mi (70 km2) 4.1% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 503,311 |
• Estimate (2024) | 527,269 |
| • Density | 800/sq mi (309/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | clark |
Clark County is the southernmostcounty in theU.S. state ofWashington. As of the2020 census, the population was 503,311,[1] making it Washington'sfifth-most populous county. Itscounty seat and largest city isVancouver.[2] It was the first county in Washington, originally namedVancouver County in 1845 before being renamed forWilliam Clark of theLewis and Clark Expedition in 1849. It was created by theProvisional Government of Oregon inOregon Country on August 20, 1845, and at that time covered the entire present-day state.[3] Clark County is the third-most-populous county in thePortland metropolitan area, and is across theColumbia River fromPortland, Oregon.
Clark County was created on August 20, 1845, asVancouver District, named forits town, following the removal of the area from three other districts on July 27, 1844. It included all the land north of the Columbia River, west of theRocky Mountains, and south ofAlaska. On December 21, 1845, the provisional government changed its name to Vancouver County. At that time it stretched from the Columbia River to54 degrees 40 minutes North Latitude in what is nowBritish Columbia, Canada. On June 15, 1846, the United States Senateapproved the present boundary between the U.S. and Canada at the49th parallel.
On August 13, 1848, PresidentJames K. Polk signed an act creating the entire region as the Oregon Territory. On September 3, 1849, the Oregon Territorial Legislature modified the borders again and changed its name toClarke County in honor of explorer William Clark. At this time it included all of present-day Washington and continued to be divided and subdivided until reaching its present area in 1880. It was not until 1925 that the spelling was corrected to its present form.[4]
In September 1902 theYacolt Burn, the largest fire in state history, began in neighboringSkamania County and swept west along a 12-mile front toYacolt, nearly engulfing the town. Salvaging the remaining timber was a lucrative industry for a time.[citation needed]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 656 square miles (1,700 km2), of which 629 square miles (1,630 km2) is land and 27 square miles (70 km2) (4.1%) is water.[5] It is the fifth-smallest county in Washington by land area.
Clark County is surrounded on two sides by the Columbia River and on the north by the North Fork of theLewis River. The East Fork of the Lewis River and theWashougal River cut across the county. The largest stream arising solely within the county is Salmon Creek, which terminates atVancouver Lake before eventually flowing into the Columbia River.
Like most of Oregon and Washington south ofPuget Sound into theWillamette Valley the landscape and climate of Clark County are determined by its placement between thevolcanicPacific Coast andCascade Ranges, whereglaciation helped form a U-shaped valley which meets the river valley of the Columbia River as it leaves theColumbia River Gorge. Volcanicandisol soils are common, with fertilemollisols in the lower areas. The central and southwest areas of the county are generally flat floodplains, sculpted by torrents of prehistoricLake Missoula. A series of dramatic floods known as theMissoula Floods took place 15,000–13,000 years ago, as several ice dams melted, forming a series of low steps such as the "Heights", "Mill Plain", "Fourth Plain" and "Fifth Plain". Clark County'sKöppen climate classification is "Csb".
Many lakes border the river in the lowlands nearRidgefield, including Vancouver Lake. Eastern and northern Clark County contain forested foothills of theCascade Mountains, rising to an elevation of 4,000 feet (1,200 m) on the border with Skamania County.Larch Mountain is the county's highest free-standing peak.
Mount Hood,Mount St. Helens andMount Adams are all visible from Clark County, and cold winter winds through the Columbia River Gorge often bringfreezing rain and a coating ofglaze ice orclear ice known locally as a "silver thaw", especially in southeastern areas of the county closest to the gorge. The counterpart to this are warm winds from the southwest known locally as the "Pineapple Express".
Spring thaws can often swell county waterways, with two of the more destructive floods being those of the Columbia River in June 1894 and May 1948. The 1948Memorial Day flood almost topped the Interstate Bridge's supportpiers and completely destroyed nearbyVanport, Oregon. Construction ofThe Dalles Dam and destruction ofCelilo Falls are credited with a decrease in such floods.
Significant windstorms in Clark County include theColumbus Day windstorm of October 12, 1962, andan April 6, 1972, tornado which rated F3 on theFujita scale, striking a local school. A "Friday the 13th" storm in November 1981 brought winds up to 70 miles per hour (110 km/h), with other storms including theinauguration day storm of January 20, 1993, theGuadalupe Day storm of December 12, 1995 (with winds up to 95 miles per hour (153 km/h) atWashougal, Washington) and small tornado onJanuary 10, 2008, which destroyed a boathouse at Vancouver Lake and caused damage to buildings inHazel Dell before dissolving nearHockinson.[6]
Flora and fauna of the region include the normalecological succession from lowlandbig leaf maple andwestern red cedar throughGarry oak on up through fire-dependent species such aslodgepole pine andDouglas fir, as well asgrand fir,silver fir and other species common toGifford Pinchot National Forest. In addition to a wide variety of birds includinggreat blue heron,raptors such asbarred owl,osprey,red-tailed hawk andbald eagle,corvids (raven,crow,California scrub andSteller's jay) and others, the native streams are home to various species ofsalmon and the Vancouver Trout Hatchery. Larger mammals includeblack-tailed deer,coyote,raccoon,skunk and invasiveopossum; with sightings of lynx, bobcat, black bear, cougar and elk not uncommon, especially in the northern parts of the county. Common foods used by theindigenous people such as theKlickitat tribe andChinook included salmon,huckleberry andCamassia quamash (after which the city ofCamas, Washington is named).
Interstate 5
Interstate 205
State Route 14
State Route 500
State Route 501
State Route 502
State Route 503Clark County's largest industries include health care, professional and business services, and retail.[7] In 2019, approximately 65,000 Clark County residents commuted to work in Portland, Oregon; approximately 17,000 residents from Oregon commuted to work in Clark County.[8] Although Washington does not have a stateincome tax, residents who worked in Oregon were required to pay income tax to that state for earnings in Oregon.[9] Clark County residents also cross the Columbia River to shop without sales taxes, which Oregon also lacks; this phenomenon caused up to $5.9 million in estimated lost sales tax revenue for the county government in 2022.[10]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 643 | — | |
| 1860 | 2,384 | 270.8% | |
| 1870 | 3,081 | 29.2% | |
| 1880 | 5,490 | 78.2% | |
| 1890 | 11,709 | 113.3% | |
| 1900 | 13,419 | 14.6% | |
| 1910 | 26,115 | 94.6% | |
| 1920 | 32,805 | 25.6% | |
| 1930 | 40,316 | 22.9% | |
| 1940 | 49,852 | 23.7% | |
| 1950 | 85,307 | 71.1% | |
| 1960 | 93,809 | 10.0% | |
| 1970 | 128,454 | 36.9% | |
| 1980 | 192,227 | 49.6% | |
| 1990 | 238,053 | 23.8% | |
| 2000 | 345,238 | 45.0% | |
| 2010 | 425,363 | 23.2% | |
| 2020 | 503,311 | 18.3% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 527,269 | [11] | 4.8% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[12] 1790–1960[13] 1900–1990[14] 1990–2000[15] 2010–2020[1] | |||
As of the2020 census, there were 503,311 people, 187,188 households, and 195,036 housing units in the county.[16][17]
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[18] | Pop 2010[19] | Pop 2020[20] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 299,134 | 347,793 | 366,727 | 86.65% | 81.76% | 72.86% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 5,628 | 8,025 | 10,850 | 1.63% | 1.89% | 2.16% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 2,575 | 2,970 | 3,051 | 0.75% | 0.70% | 0.61% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 10,993 | 17,276 | 23,910 | 3.18% | 4.06% | 4.75% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 1,225 | 2,589 | 5,127 | 0.35% | 0.61% | 1.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 475 | 639 | 2,536 | 0.14% | 0.15% | 0.50% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 8,960 | 13,905 | 32,320 | 2.60% | 3.27% | 6.42% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 16,248 | 32,166 | 58,790 | 4.71% | 7.56% | 11.68% |
| Total | 345,238 | 425,363 | 503,311 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
The population density was 800.8 people per square mile (309.2 people/km2).[17]
The racial makeup of the county was 75.5% White, 2.3%Black or African American, 1.0%American Indian and Alaska Native, 4.8%Asian, 5.0% from some other race, and 10.4% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 11.7% of the population.[16]
Of the residents, 23.3% were under the age of 18, 5.6% were under 5, and 16.4% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 38.8 years. For every 100 females there were 97.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.6 males. 86.5% of residents lived in urban areas and 13.5% lived in rural areas.[17][21]
The average household size was 2.67 people per household. Of the 187,188 households, 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[17]
There were 195,036 housing units, of which 4.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 64.8% were owner-occupied and 35.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.1%.[17]
As of the2010 census, there were 425,363 people, 158,099 households, and 110,672 families residing in the county.[22] The population density was 676.2 people per square mile (261.1 people/km2). There were 167,413 housing units at an average density of 266.2 units per square mile (102.8 units/km2).[23] The racial makeup of the county was 85.4% white, 4.1% Asian, 2.0% black or African American, 0.9% American Indian, 0.6% Pacific islander, 2.9% from other races, and 4.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 7.6% of the population.[22] In terms of ancestry, 24.4% wereGerman, 13.1% wereIrish, 13.1% wereEnglish, 5.7% wereNorwegian, and 4.3% wereAmerican.[24]
Of the 158,099 households, 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.0% were non-families, and 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.15. The median age was 36.7 years.[22]
The median income for a household in the county was $58,262 and the median income for a family was $67,352. Males had a median income of $52,160 versus $38,167 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,828. About 7.8% of families and 10.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.[25]
As of the2000 census, there were 345,238 people, 127,208 households, and 90,953 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 550 people per square mile (210 people/km2). There were 134,030 housing units at an average density of 213 units per square mile (82 units/km2). Theracial makeup of the county was 88.82% White, 1.68% Black or African American, 0.84% Native American, 3.21% Asian, 0.37% Pacific Islander, 1.99% from other races, and 3.08% from two or more races. 4.71% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 17.7% were ofGerman, 10.2%English, 8.6%Irish, 8.6%United States and 5.1%Norwegian ancestry. 88.8% spoke onlyEnglish at home; 3.6% spokeSpanish and 1.9%Russian.
There were 127,208 households, out of which 37.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.80% weremarried couples living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.50% were non-families. 21.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.70% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 30.80% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 9.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $48,376, and the median income for a family was $54,016. Males had a median income of $41,337 versus $28,537 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $21,448. About 6.90% of families and 9.10% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 11.70% of those under age 18 and 6.80% of those age 65 or over.
Clark County is religiously diverse, with no single group comprising 10% of the population. The four groups that exceed 1% are nondenominational Christian with 30,026 members, theCatholic Church with 26,886 members,The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with 20,793 members, and theEvangelical Lutheran Church of America with 4,827.[26]The area is also home to the nation's largest population of theOld Apostolic Lutheran Church with between 8,000 and 12,000 members living in the county. This is estimated because the Church doesn't keep membership rolls.[27]
The Clark County Sheriff's Office is the local, county-level law enforcement agency serving Clark County, Washington. The sheriff's office was established in 1849 and is the oldest law enforcement organization in the state ofWashington. Sheriff John Horch and Undersheriff James Hansen lead the Clark County Sheriff's Office.[28]
On March 16, 2014,Clark County Fire & Rescue commissioned theMary Firstenburg, a newfireboat purchased with the financial support from a bequest from Firstenburg's family, and from aFEMA Port Security Grant.[29]
Since 2014, Clark County has had ahome rule charter with acouncil–manager government. TheClark County Council was created in 2014 and has five seats elected by districts of proportional size that are redrawn every 10 years.[30][31] Prior to the adoption of the home rule charter, the county had a three-member commission.[32] Thecounty manager is the chief executive officer appointed by the council and oversees the administrative departments of the government. Kathleen Otto has been the county manager of Clark County since her appointment to the role in 2021.[33]
As of 2025[update], the current elected officials are:[34]
In presidential elections, Clark County leans Democratic having voted for the party in every presidential election since 2008. This is in contrast to the rest of Southwest Washington, which leans Republican. In 2024, the county swung leftward by 2%, despite Washington and the country swinging rightward.
Before 2008, Clark County was a swing county having voted for the winner in every single election between 1900 and 2004 with the exception of 1916, 1956, 1968, and 1988.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 1,089 | 41.95% | 966 | 37.21% | 541 | 20.84% |
| 1896 | 1,497 | 48.23% | 1,547 | 49.84% | 60 | 1.93% |
| 1900 | 1,668 | 57.88% | 1,025 | 35.57% | 189 | 6.56% |
| 1904 | 2,436 | 71.88% | 515 | 15.20% | 438 | 12.92% |
| 1908 | 2,416 | 58.83% | 1,250 | 30.44% | 441 | 10.74% |
| 1912 | 1,872 | 23.37% | 2,549 | 31.82% | 3,589 | 44.81% |
| 1916 | 4,419 | 48.93% | 3,728 | 41.28% | 885 | 9.80% |
| 1920 | 4,852 | 52.20% | 2,941 | 31.64% | 1,502 | 16.16% |
| 1924 | 5,215 | 47.61% | 2,004 | 18.29% | 3,735 | 34.10% |
| 1928 | 7,786 | 62.58% | 4,467 | 35.90% | 189 | 1.52% |
| 1932 | 4,901 | 32.33% | 9,104 | 60.05% | 1,155 | 7.62% |
| 1936 | 4,868 | 26.24% | 12,714 | 68.52% | 972 | 5.24% |
| 1940 | 8,776 | 40.03% | 12,931 | 58.98% | 218 | 0.99% |
| 1944 | 12,312 | 39.03% | 18,861 | 59.78% | 376 | 1.19% |
| 1948 | 11,546 | 38.32% | 17,154 | 56.93% | 1,432 | 4.75% |
| 1952 | 18,973 | 50.83% | 18,153 | 48.63% | 202 | 0.54% |
| 1956 | 19,330 | 49.51% | 19,665 | 50.36% | 51 | 0.13% |
| 1960 | 20,080 | 49.13% | 20,771 | 50.82% | 17 | 0.04% |
| 1964 | 12,300 | 29.43% | 29,341 | 70.21% | 149 | 0.36% |
| 1968 | 18,858 | 42.40% | 23,046 | 51.82% | 2,570 | 5.78% |
| 1972 | 28,775 | 49.13% | 27,179 | 46.41% | 2,615 | 4.46% |
| 1976 | 27,938 | 45.65% | 31,080 | 50.78% | 2,183 | 3.57% |
| 1980 | 33,223 | 46.10% | 30,584 | 42.43% | 8,268 | 11.47% |
| 1984 | 40,681 | 52.86% | 35,248 | 45.80% | 1,028 | 1.34% |
| 1988 | 37,285 | 47.61% | 40,021 | 51.11% | 1,000 | 1.28% |
| 1992 | 36,906 | 34.64% | 42,648 | 40.03% | 26,982 | 25.33% |
| 1996 | 46,794 | 41.51% | 52,254 | 46.35% | 13,682 | 12.14% |
| 2000 | 67,219 | 49.59% | 61,767 | 45.57% | 6,558 | 4.84% |
| 2004 | 88,646 | 52.01% | 79,538 | 46.67% | 2,255 | 1.32% |
| 2008 | 84,212 | 46.08% | 95,356 | 52.17% | 3,196 | 1.75% |
| 2012 | 92,951 | 48.72% | 93,382 | 48.94% | 4,472 | 2.34% |
| 2016 | 92,441 | 44.34% | 92,757 | 44.49% | 23,287 | 11.17% |
| 2020 | 126,303 | 45.86% | 140,324 | 50.95% | 8,776 | 3.19% |
| 2024 | 123,998 | 44.83% | 143,206 | 51.78% | 9,374 | 3.39% |
School districts include:[40]
State-operated schools:
Washington (state) portalBruce Firstenburg, 71, broke a bottle of champagne over Clark County Fire & Rescue's new rescue boat Friday afternoon in the Ridgefield Marina.
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Places adjacent to Clark County, Washington | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofClark County, Washington,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
