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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Page 126 <br />2. From 2016 to 2017, population in Kittitas <br />County grew at an average rate of 2.33 <br />percent, with a net influx of 1,020 people. <br />Washington State Grew at a rate of 1.76 <br />percent over the same time-period. <br />3. While Millennials represent the largest <br />generation of individuals within Kittitas <br />County, the percentage of persons 65 <br />and over is growing while the <br />percentage of persons under 18 years of <br />age has dropped for the last 5 years 11. <br />4. Total covered employment in Kittitas <br />County grew at an average rate of 1.33% <br />per year from 2002 through 2014, slightly slower than population growth over the same period. <br />Population and employment growth tend to grow at similar rates. When employment grows slower <br />than population rates, it may indicate an increase in unemployment, a decrease in the labor force <br />participation rate, or a decrease in the number of workers commuting from outside of Kittitas County. <br />5. Population in Kittitas County is projected to grow at an average annual rate of two percent (2%), <br />resulting in a population of 65,967 people in 2037. (BCC Resolution 2017-068) <br /> This projection includes an assumption that sixty-five percent (65%) of the future population will <br />reside within urban areas. <br />6. Employment in Kittitas County is expected to grow at an average annual rate of two percent (2%), <br />resulting in a total of 30,517 jobs by 2037. (BCC Resolution 2017-068) <br /> This projection includes an assumption that eighty percent (80%) of job growth will locate in urban <br />areas (and that twenty percent will locate in rural areas outside the established urban growth <br />boundaries). <br />Current projections indicate employment in Kittitas County will continue to grow at a slightly slower rate <br />than population (as it has since the early 2000s). This trend in labor force participation can be attributed (in <br />part) to an aging population. Given the range of growth rates in the State’s population forecast for Kittitas <br />County, employment growth is anticipated to grow at a rate of 0.5% to 2.0% per year over the next 20 years. <br /> The low end of this range, however, is unlikely to occur unless the US or Washington State experiences a <br />severe economic recession. While this scenario is possible, it is unlikely to provide a useful projection scenario <br />for planning purposes. <br /> <br />11 ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2015