Taholah is a
unincorporated village on the
Quinault Indian Reservation, in
Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. Named for a
Quinault chief in 1905,
its population was 840 at the
2010 census.
For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Taholah as a
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
(CDP). The headquarters for the Quinault Indian Nation was moved to Taholah from the town of
Quinault on the shore of
Lake Quinault.
History
Taholah lies within a
tsunami
A tsunami ( ; from , ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and underwater explosions (including detonations, ...
inundation zone and is at risk of flooding from rising sea levels due to
climate change
Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...
. The village has a
seawall facing the Pacific Ocean, but it required several repairs due to damage sustained by breaches. In 2015, the tribal government proposed a $60 million plan to
relocate the village to an uphill area southeast of the existing village. The relocation plan would first require the acquisition of to be allocated to individuals with 175 homes for 129 families from the existing village, followed by the construction of new streets and water facilities. A revised estimate of $150 million for the plan was released in 2017, with construction beginning two years later. The first part of the relocated village, a senior and children center named the Generations Building (), opened in May 2021.
Geography
Taholah is located in northwestern Grays Harbor County. The
Quinault River empties into the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
on the northern edge of Taholah.
Washington State Route 109 has its northern terminus in Taholah; the highway leads south to
Moclips and to
Hoquiam.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the Taholah CDP has a total area of , of which are land and , or 1.92%, are water.
Climate
The climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Taholah has a
marine west coast climate, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps. Average annual rainfall is .
Plantmaps.com
Retrieved 2024-04-30
Demographics
As of the census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was 485.7 people per square mile (187.1/km2). There were 249 housing units at an average density of 146.8/sq mi (56.6/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 4.85% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 93.20% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.73% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 1.46% of the population.
There were 240 households, out of which 44.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.6% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 28.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.9% were non-families. 13.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.43 and the average family size was 3.63.
In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 38.1% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 5.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 116.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.4 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $24,688, and the median income for a family was $25,875. Males had a median income of $21,964 versus $24,250 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the CDP was $9,373. About 29.0% of families and 34.9% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 41.5% of those under age 18 and 30.0% of those age 65 or over.
The Taholah School District's mascot is the Chitwhin, meaning " black bear" in Quinault.
References
{{authority control
Census-designated places in Grays Harbor County, Washington
Census-designated places in Washington (state)
Populated coastal places in Washington (state)
Quinault settlements
Managed retreat