Walla Walla County ( ) is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

located in the southeast of the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, its population was 62,584. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

and most populous city is Walla Walla. The county was formed on April 25, 1854 and is named after the Walla Walla tribe of Native Americans. Walla Walla County is included in the Walla Walla, WA Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2020, the Walla Walla MSA is the second smallest metropolitan area in the United States, after the

Carson City, Nevada Carson City, officially the Carson City Consolidated Municipality, is an Independent city (United States), independent city and the capital of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 58,63 ...

MSA.

Geography

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 county has a total area of , of which (2.2%) are covered by water.

Geographic features

Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook language, Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin language, Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river headwater ...

* Snake River * Blue Mountains * Touchet River * Ponderosa Pines * Banana Belt * Walla Walla River

Major highways

* U.S. Route 12 * U.S. Route 730

Adjacent counties

* Columbia County - east * Umatilla County, Oregon - south * Benton County - west * Franklin County - northwest

National protected areas

* McNary National Wildlife Refuge * Umatilla National Forest (part) * Whitman Mission National Historic Site

Demographics

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 58,781 people, 21,719 households, and 14,132 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 23,451 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 84.5% white, 1.8% black or African American, 1.3% Asian, 1.0% American Indian, 0.3% Pacific islander, 8.0% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 19.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 23.5% were German, 13.3% were English, 12.7% were Irish, and 6.6% were American. Of the 21,719 households, 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.9% were non-families, and 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.05. The median age was 36.7 years. The median income for a household in the county was $45,575 and the median income for a family was $55,773. Males had a median income of $42,704 versus $35,586 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,027. About 12.4% of families and 17.5% 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 24.6% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 55,180 people, 19,647 households, and 13,242 families living in the county. The

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 . There were 21,147 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 85.3%

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 ...

, 1.7%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.8% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.2%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 8.2% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. 15.7% of the population were

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. 20.1% were of German, 10.7% English, 7.7%

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

or American and 7.3% Irish ancestry. There were 19,647 households, out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.00% 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, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.60% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.08. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 13.40% from 18 to 24, 26.50% from 25 to 44, 20.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 103.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.90 males. The median income for a household in the county was $35,900, and the median income for a family was $44,962. Males had a median income of $34,691 versus $24,736 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 county was $16,509. About 10.20% of families and 15.10% of the population were below the

, including 18.80% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

* College Place * Prescott * Waitsburg * Walla Walla (county seat)

Census-designated places

* Burbank * Dixie * Garrett * Touchet * Walla Walla East * Wallula

Unincorporated communities

* Ayer *Burbank Heights * Lowden *Calhounville

Politics

Walla Walla County is generally Republican; it has voted for that party in all but one presidential election since 1940, and has voted Democratic just five times since Washington's statehood in 1889. Like the state as a whole, third-party candidates often receive a larger share of the vote than they do nationally. The county is part of Washington's 5th congressional district, which is represented by Republican Michael Baumgaurtner.

Education

School districts in Walla Walla County include: * College Place School District *Columbia School District * Dixie School District *Prescott School District *Touchet School District *Waitsburg School District *Walla Walla Public Schools

Media

Newspapers

* ''Walla Walla Union-Bulletin'' * ''Waitsburg Times''

Radio

* KGTS * KUJ (AM)

Footnotes

External links

Walla Walla Washington
at HistoryLink.org
Walla Walla photographs collection at the Whitman College and Northwest Archives, Whitman College.
{{authority control 1854 establishments in Washington Territory Eastern Washington Washington (state) placenames of Native American origin