2019_KittitasCountyHMP_Volume 1_For Adoption

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CHAPTER 4. KITTITAS COUNTY PROFILE 4-12 Table 4-3. Kittitas County Critical Facilities Jurisdiction Fire Station Hospital Emergency Facility School Total Cle Elum 2 2 0 0 4 Ellensburg 2 2 3 6 13 Kittitas 1 0 0 3 4 Roslyn 1 0 0 0 1 South Cle Elum 1 0 0 0 1 Unincorporated Kittitas County 24 0 1 8 33 Total 31 4 4 17 56 4.6. DEMOGRAPHICS Some populations are at greater risk from hazard events because of decreased resources or physical abilities. Elderly people, for example, may be more likely to require additional assistance. Research has shown that people living near or below the poverty line, the elderly (especially older single men), the disabled, women, children, ethnic minorities and renters all experience, to some degree, more severe effects from disasters than the general population. These vulnerable populations may vary from the general population in risk perception, living conditions, access to information before, during and after a hazard event, capabilities during an event, and access to resources for post-disaster recovery. Indicators of vulnerability—such as disability, age, poverty, and minority race and ethnicity—often overlap spatially and often in the geographically most vulnerable locations. Detailed spatial analysis to locate areas where there are higher concentrations of vulnerable community members would assist the County in extending focused public outreach and education to these most vulnerable citizens. 4.6.1 Kittitas County Population Characteristics Current Population Knowledge of the composition of the population and how it has changed in the past and how it may change in the future is needed for making informed decisions about the future. Information about population is a critical part of planning because it directly relates to land needs such as housing, industry, stores, public facilities and services, and transportation. Kittitas County is the 23rd largest of Washington’s 39 counties. The Washington State Office of Financial Management estimated Kittitas County’s population at 45,600 as of April 1, 2018. Population changes are useful socio-economic indicators. A growing population generally indicates a growing economy, while a decreasing population signifies economic decline. Figure 4-4 shows the growth rate of Kittitas County from 1961 to 2011 compared to that of the State of Washington. Between 2000 and 2010, Washington’s population grew by 14.8 percent (about 1.26 percent per year) while Kittitas County’s population increased by 23.8 percent (1.96 percent per year). The County’s population increased an average of 2.15 percent per year between 1990 and 2010, a total of 53 percent during that period. In 2017, Kittitas County experienced the largest percentage increase in annual growth of all the counties at 2.9 percent. The state had an overall population growth of 1.76 percent in 2017, which is the largest percentage increase since 2007.