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2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan <br />Kittitas County, Washington <br /> <br /> <br />Chapter 3: Community Profile 29 <br />3.6. DEMOGRAPHICS <br />Population and Population Density: Kittitas County had a population of 47,300 in 2023 and <br />approximately 45% of the population lives in Unincorporated Kittitas County. Between 2010 and 2020, <br />the population increased by approximately 13.5% and by 1.8% between 2020 and 2023.23F <br />24 Table 3-3 <br />shows Kittitas County’s population distribution by jurisdiction between 2010 and 2023 based on the <br />Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) data. <br />Table 3-3. Population Estimates <br />Jurisdiction 201024F <br />25 202025F <br />26 202326F <br />27 Population Change <br />(2010 – 2023) <br />Kittitas County 40,915 46,468 47,300 15.6% <br />City of Cle Elum 1,872 2,157 2,255 20.5% <br />City of Ellensburg 18,174 20,797 20,900 15.0% <br />City of Kittitas 1,381 1,438 1,440 4.3% <br />City of Roslyn 893 950 960 7.5% <br />Town of South Cle Elum 532 559 565 6.2% <br />Unincorporated Kittitas <br />County 18,063 20,567 21,180 17.3% <br /> <br />Population Projections: In 2022, OFM released three (3) separate population growth projections for <br />Kittitas County – Low, Medium, and High. Figure 3-6 shows Kittitas County population between 1980 <br />and 2050 along with OFM’s High, Medium, and Low growth projections.27F <br />28 OFM’s high projection assumes <br />an average annual growth rate of 2.13% between 2017 and 2037 while the medium projection assumes <br />a growth rate of 1.08%. According to this analysis, projections suggest that Kittitas County may see large <br />increases in population due to an emergence as a retirement destination, increased student enrollment <br />at CWU, and transportation improvements allowing easier passage to King County. However, it is also <br />noted that this positive growth trend may be countered by negative trends (e.g., lack of job growth, water <br />right restrictions and an increase in climate change related events). <br /> <br /> <br />24 United States Census Bureau. (2022). Quick Facts: Kittitas County, Washington. Retrieved from <br />https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/kittitascountywashington. <br />25 Washington State Office of Financial Management. (n.d.). Decennial Census Counts of Population for the <br />State, Counties, Cities and Towns. Retrieved from https://ofm.wa.gov/washington-data-research/population- <br />demographics/population-estimates/historical-estimates-april-1-population-and-housing-state-counties-and-cities. <br />26 Ibid. <br />27 Washington State Office of Financial Management. (n.d.). April 1, 2024 Population of Cities, Towns, and <br />Counties Used for Allocation of Selected State Revenues. Retrieved from <br />https://ofm.wa.gov/sites/default/files/public/dataresearch/pop/april1/ofm_april1_population_final.pdf . <br />28 Washington State Office of Financial Management. (2022). Growth Management Act Population Projections for <br />Counties: 2020 to 2050. Retrieved from <br />https://ofm.wa.gov/sites/default/files/public/dataresearch/pop/GMA/projections2022/gma_2022_high_low_charts.p <br />df.