Geographic Location

Snohomish County is located in the Puget Sound region between King County, to the south, and Skagit County, to the north. Snohomish County covers 2,090 square miles, making it the thirteenth largest county in Washington. Sixty-eight percent of the county is forest land, eighteen percent is rural, nine percent is urban/city, and five percent is agricultural.

Population

In 2008, Snohomish County had a population of 685,001. Snohomish County accounts for nearly ten percent of the state population, which is the third highest behind King and Pierce Counties. During the ten-year period between 1996 and 2006, only King County added more people than Snohomish County; Snohomish County added 133,700 for a growth rate of nearly 25 percent. Projections show the population of Snohomish County will grow 1.8 percent annually, meaning that by 2025 the county will be home to nearly 930,000 residents.

Employment

In 2007 Snohomish County showed a civilian labor force of over 373,000. The unemployment rate as of October 2008 was just over five percent.

Age

Snohomish County has a higher proportion of people under the age of 60 than either the state or nation. In 2006 only thirteen percent of the population was in the 60+ category. A top demographic consideration regarding age is the near retirement of many in the baby-boomer generation. The hope is that recruitment of younger workers and retention of older workers will alleviate challenges caused by a large proportion of workers nearing retirement. Effective management of this dynamic workforce will enable a smooth transition between generations—retaining the experience and expertise of older workers and maximizing the contributions of younger workers—while preserving a recognizable culture within the organization.

Race/Ethnicity

Snohomish County forecasts are consistent with state forecasts, which show that the state’s workforce will become increasingly diverse as growing numbers of Hispanic, Black/African American, Native American, Asian, and other non-White Americans enter the labor force. Over the next ten years the workplace will undergo increasing global integration, and organizations will operate more freely across borders. Workers from diverse ethnic/racial backgrounds are critical if companies are to succeed in the global marketplace. By acting now, new opportunities can be created for previously underutilized populations, and lives and the economy will benefit as a result.

Gender

Gender distribution in 2015 is expected to remain at its current breakdown of about 50/50. Over the last three decades women entered the workforce in increasing numbers due to higher education attainment, decisions to delay marriage and childbearing, changing gender roles, and household economic pressures. To better and more fully utilize women in the workforce, companies must consider workplace policies that address issues such as child care. Research shows that productivity increases when employers adopt family-friendly policies, such as on on-site childcare. With such policies women are able to establish a more stable work history, move into positions of higher level management, and achieve greater pay equity. Companies benefit from the retention of productive employees who desire to move up into higher level jobs.