HomeWashingtonIsland County
Island County, Washington: commercial real estate data.
Island County, Washington has a population of 86,836 across 208 square miles, down 0.4 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $4.66 bn in 2024, 1,941 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 68 7(a) approvals worth $40.5 m.
121 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Island County
How many people live in Island County
- Population86,836
- Households35,972
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$90,551
- Median age44.8
- Median gross rent$1,662 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$593,300
- Home value to household income6.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income22.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher36.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree14.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over64,643
- Population under 1815,049
- Share under 1817.3 percent
- Population 65 and over23,259
- Share 65 and over26.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6448,528
- Civilian labor force34,199
- Unemployment rate4.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over47.6 percent
- Rank by population among Washington counties15th of 39
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents680th
Island County is the 15th largest of 39 Washington counties by population. A median home costs 6.6 times median household income, which is a stretched ownership market and usually shows up as rental demand. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 26.8 percent against 17.3 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single storey product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Island County
Is Island County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.44 percent
- Census 2020 base population86,859
- Births, 2024774
- Deaths, 2024923
- Natural change, 2024-149
- Net domestic migration, 2024-12
- Net international migration, 2024278
- Total net migration, 2024266
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-543
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2002nd
The county has lost 0.44 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Island County
Where people moving to Island County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving3,963
- People arriving, from those returns7,183
- Adjusted gross income arriving$406.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$102,496
- Largest single originIsland County Non-migrants (33,977 households)
- Largest single destination (33,977 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Island County Non-migrants | 33,977 | 64,979 | $3.44 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 1,352 | 2,449 | $114.8 m |
| Snohomish County | 592 | 1,050 | $69.2 m |
| Other flows - South | 540 | 1,076 | $34.2 m |
| King County | 535 | 874 | $104.7 m |
| Other flows - West | 505 | 873 | $61.6 m |
| Skagit County | 211 | 372 | $13.7 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 187 | 314 | $10.6 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Island County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Island County
What the Island County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$4.66 bn
- County GDP, 2023$4.40 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.0 percent
- GDP change over five years30.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among Washington counties17th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents743rd
- GDP per resident$53,714
Output grew 6.0 percent in the latest year and 30.1 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Island County
Who employs people in Island County
- Covered employment, annual average18,271
- Establishments reporting2,142
- Average annual pay$58,929
- Average weekly wage$1,133
- Sector 72, employment2,269
- Sector 72, average annual pay$29,322
- Sector 44-45, employment2,200
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$40,823
- Sector 62, employment2,122
- Sector 62, average annual pay$48,025
- Sector 23, employment1,260
- Sector 23, average annual pay$62,068
- Sector 54, employment1,030
- Sector 81, employment818
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 72 | 2,269 | 172 | $29,322 |
| Sector 44-45 | 2,200 | 184 | $40,823 |
| Sector 62 | 2,122 | 178 | $48,025 |
| Sector 23 | 1,260 | 339 | $62,068 |
| Sector 54 | 1,030 | 290 | $124,267 |
| Sector 81 | 818 | 202 | $44,708 |
| Sector 31-33 | 704 | 65 | $62,560 |
| Sector 61 | 473 | 53 | $34,891 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 2,269 jobs, 12.4 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Island County
What businesses operate in Island County
- Establishments, all industries1,941
- Employment at those establishments14,486
- Annual payroll$694.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.4
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Island County
What is being built in Island County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024402
- Declared construction value permitted$116.4 m
- Single family units authorised297
- Multifamily units authorised105
- Multifamily share of units26.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$289,663
- Units authorised per 1,000 households11.2
Multifamily is 26.1 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Island County
How much SBA lending happens in Island County
- 7(a) approvals recorded68
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$40.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$595,534
- Median 7(a) approval$218,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,866,000
- Largest single approval$3,740,600
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)581
- Jobs per approval8.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active26
- Distinct industries receiving approvals42
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer29.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms20
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter44
- Franchise loans6
- Franchise share of approvals8.8 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (7)
- Most active lenderHarborstone CU (12)
- 504 approvals recorded44
- 504 gross approval dollars$24.9 m
- Average 504 approval$565,295
- Median 504 approval$341,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval4.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved8.5
- Most active CDCNorthwest Business Development Association (19)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals60.7 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$65.4 m
The average approval of $595,534 sits well above the median of $218,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 29.4 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Island County
Do SBA loans in Island County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded9
- Paid in full9
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure49
- Status: Paid in full9
- Status: Cancelled7
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 9 resolved loans, too few to publish a rate. A rate computed on a handful of loans is noise, so none is shown.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Island County
Which parts of Island County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending8
- OAK HARBOR, approvals26
- Camano Island, approvals12
- Langley, approvals12
- CLINTON, approvals9
- Freeland, approvals4
- COUPEVILLE, approvals3
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| OAK HARBOR | 26 | $11,517,400 |
| Camano Island | 12 | $13,755,500 |
| Langley | 12 | $3,306,600 |
| CLINTON | 9 | $2,658,000 |
| Freeland | 4 | $2,741,800 |
| COUPEVILLE | 3 | $1,671,000 |
| GREENBANK | 1 | $3,190,000 |
| Everett | 1 | $1,656,000 |
OAK HARBOR accounts for 26 approvals against 12 in Camano Island. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Island County
How big is Island County
- Land area208 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Washington counties38th of 39
- Width, east to west19.4 mi
- Height, north to south35 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary1
- Residents per square mile of land417
- Establishments per square mile9.33
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Island County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Island County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population86,836
- Households35,972
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$90,551
- Median age44.8
Common questions
Island County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Island County, Washington?
86,836, in 35,972 households, ranking 15th of 39 Washington counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Island County growing?
The population has fallen 0.44 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 774 births against 923 deaths, with net migration of 266. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Island County?
$90,551. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $593,300, which is 6.6 times income, and median gross rent is $1,662 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Island County?
1,941 establishments, employing 14,486 people with an annual payroll of $694.1 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Island County?
Average annual pay is $58,929, or $1,133 a week, across 18,271 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Island County?
68 7(a) approvals totalling $40.5 m since FY2020, across 26 lenders, with a median approval of $218,000, plus 44 504 approvals worth $24.9 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Island County?
402 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $116.4 m. Multifamily was 26.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Island County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Island County come from?
The largest single origin is Island County Non-migrants, with 33,977 households. Arriving households report an average income of $102,496 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Island County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Island County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.