Counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Washington
Counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Washington
In certain corners of the U.S., the only way you’ll ever be considered a local is if you were born there. Elsewhere, particularly in major metropolitan centers, the constant influx of new businesses, college students, and families can transform neighborhoods every few years and certainly decade over decade.
Americans change their addresses at higher rates than most other countries, but that “move, move, move” mentality may be shifting. In 2016, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that only 11.2% of respondents had moved within the last year. Additionally, 72% of Americans reported living in or close to the city they grew up in. To learn more about where people are staying put, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Washington using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percentage of residents that were born in the state as of 2019.
Keep reading to discover which counties in your state have the most born-and-bred residents.
#30. Wahkiakum County
- Born in Washington: 1,852 (43.4% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 2,209 (51.8% of population)
--- Midwest (8.8%), Northeast (3.0%), South (3.4%), West (36.4%)
- Born in another country: 201 (4.7% of population)
--- Africa (0.4%), Asia (1.9%), Europe (1.0%), Latin America (1.2%), North America (0.3%), Oceania (0.0%)
#29. Garfield County
- Born in Washington: 971 (43.5% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 1,184 (53.1% of population)
--- Midwest (7.4%), Northeast (1.3%), South (6.5%), West (37.9%)
- Born in another country: 54 (2.4% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (2.3%), Europe (0.1%), Latin America (0.0%), North America (0.0%), Oceania (0.0%)
#28. Pacific County
- Born in Washington: 9,766 (45.0% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 10,164 (46.9% of population)
--- Midwest (9.1%), Northeast (3.6%), South (3.6%), West (30.5%)
- Born in another country: 1,483 (6.8% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.6%), Europe (1.0%), Latin America (4.7%), North America (0.3%), Oceania (0.2%)

#27. Thurston County
- Born in Washington: 129,559 (46.3% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 121,079 (43.3% of population)
--- Midwest (9.1%), Northeast (4.3%), South (9.1%), West (20.3%)
- Born in another country: 22,679 (8.1% of population)
--- Africa (0.2%), Asia (3.9%), Europe (1.3%), Latin America (2.1%), North America (0.4%), Oceania (0.2%)
#26. Clallam County
- Born in Washington: 36,699 (48.7% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 33,830 (44.9% of population)
--- Midwest (11.5%), Northeast (4.5%), South (6.3%), West (22.5%)
- Born in another country: 4,081 (5.4% of population)
--- Africa (0.1%), Asia (1.5%), Europe (1.6%), Latin America (1.3%), North America (0.9%), Oceania (0.1%)
#25. Pierce County
- Born in Washington: 439,789 (50.1% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 332,881 (38.0% of population)
--- Midwest (7.9%), Northeast (3.7%), South (8.2%), West (17.2%)
- Born in another country: 86,037 (9.8% of population)
--- Africa (0.5%), Asia (4.4%), Europe (1.6%), Latin America (2.7%), North America (0.4%), Oceania (0.3%)
#24. Snohomish County
- Born in Washington: 401,919 (50.3% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 256,461 (32.1% of population)
--- Midwest (7.5%), Northeast (3.0%), South (5.4%), West (15.9%)
- Born in another country: 128,430 (16.1% of population)
--- Africa (1.3%), Asia (7.8%), Europe (2.6%), Latin America (3.5%), North America (0.6%), Oceania (0.3%)
#23. Whitman County
- Born in Washington: 24,909 (50.6% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 17,941 (36.4% of population)
--- Midwest (5.0%), Northeast (2.3%), South (5.1%), West (23.9%)
- Born in another country: 5,586 (11.3% of population)
--- Africa (1.1%), Asia (7.0%), Europe (1.7%), Latin America (1.3%), North America (0.2%), Oceania (0.0%)
#22. Walla Walla County
- Born in Washington: 30,776 (51.0% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 22,646 (37.5% of population)
--- Midwest (6.8%), Northeast (2.2%), South (5.4%), West (23.0%)
- Born in another country: 6,079 (10.1% of population)
--- Africa (0.2%), Asia (1.4%), Europe (0.8%), Latin America (6.9%), North America (0.7%), Oceania (0.1%)
#21. Franklin County
- Born in Washington: 47,616 (51.8% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 22,353 (24.3% of population)
--- Midwest (3.0%), Northeast (1.5%), South (4.1%), West (15.6%)
- Born in another country: 20,896 (22.7% of population)
--- Africa (0.3%), Asia (1.2%), Europe (1.0%), Latin America (20.1%), North America (0.2%), Oceania (0.0%)

#20. Whatcom County
- Born in Washington: 114,602 (51.9% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 79,787 (36.1% of population)
--- Midwest (8.2%), Northeast (3.8%), South (5.1%), West (18.8%)
- Born in another country: 22,318 (10.1% of population)
--- Africa (0.2%), Asia (2.8%), Europe (1.9%), Latin America (2.7%), North America (2.4%), Oceania (0.1%)
#19. Benton County
- Born in Washington: 104,182 (52.7% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 70,758 (35.8% of population)
--- Midwest (7.0%), Northeast (2.6%), South (6.1%), West (20.0%)
- Born in another country: 21,133 (10.7% of population)
--- Africa (0.1%), Asia (2.4%), Europe (1.3%), Latin America (6.4%), North America (0.4%), Oceania (0.0%)
#18. Pend Oreille County
- Born in Washington: 7,082 (52.9% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 5,654 (42.3% of population)
--- Midwest (9.8%), Northeast (1.8%), South (4.4%), West (26.3%)
- Born in another country: 489 (3.7% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.7%), Europe (1.3%), Latin America (1.4%), North America (0.2%), Oceania (0.0%)

#17. Skagit County
- Born in Washington: 67,196 (53.5% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 43,871 (34.9% of population)
--- Midwest (8.0%), Northeast (3.4%), South (5.4%), West (17.9%)
- Born in another country: 12,891 (10.3% of population)
--- Africa (0.1%), Asia (1.3%), Europe (1.5%), Latin America (6.6%), North America (0.7%), Oceania (0.1%)
#16. Adams County
- Born in Washington: 10,546 (53.8% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 4,161 (21.2% of population)
--- Midwest (2.9%), Northeast (1.4%), South (3.3%), West (13.6%)
- Born in another country: 4,798 (24.5% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.4%), Europe (0.3%), Latin America (23.0%), North America (0.4%), Oceania (0.3%)

#15. Spokane County
- Born in Washington: 272,694 (53.9% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 199,424 (39.5% of population)
--- Midwest (7.6%), Northeast (2.9%), South (5.5%), West (23.3%)
- Born in another country: 27,370 (5.4% of population)
--- Africa (0.3%), Asia (1.9%), Europe (1.7%), Latin America (0.9%), North America (0.4%), Oceania (0.2%)
#14. Cowlitz County
- Born in Washington: 57,776 (54.1% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 44,026 (41.2% of population)
--- Midwest (7.3%), Northeast (2.1%), South (4.7%), West (27.1%)
- Born in another country: 4,227 (4.0% of population)
--- Africa (0.1%), Asia (1.0%), Europe (0.5%), Latin America (1.9%), North America (0.3%), Oceania (0.1%)

#13. Grant County
- Born in Washington: 52,336 (54.8% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 24,606 (25.8% of population)
--- Midwest (5.1%), Northeast (1.1%), South (3.6%), West (15.8%)
- Born in another country: 17,698 (18.5% of population)
--- Africa (0.1%), Asia (0.5%), Europe (1.3%), Latin America (16.2%), North America (0.4%), Oceania (0.0%)
#12. Mason County
- Born in Washington: 35,447 (55.6% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 24,014 (37.6% of population)
--- Midwest (7.3%), Northeast (4.0%), South (6.1%), West (20.0%)
- Born in another country: 3,620 (5.7% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.8%), Europe (0.6%), Latin America (4.0%), North America (0.2%), Oceania (0.1%)
#11. Columbia County
- Born in Washington: 2,219 (55.6% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 1,463 (36.6% of population)
--- Midwest (6.8%), Northeast (2.7%), South (4.1%), West (23.1%)
- Born in another country: 297 (7.4% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (1.4%), Europe (0.7%), Latin America (4.1%), North America (0.3%), Oceania (1.1%)

#10. Chelan County
- Born in Washington: 43,410 (56.9% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 22,396 (29.4% of population)
--- Midwest (6.4%), Northeast (3.1%), South (4.5%), West (15.2%)
- Born in another country: 9,832 (12.9% of population)
--- Africa (0.1%), Asia (0.5%), Europe (0.6%), Latin America (11.1%), North America (0.6%), Oceania (0.0%)
#9. Stevens County
- Born in Washington: 25,463 (57.0% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 17,404 (39.0% of population)
--- Midwest (7.3%), Northeast (2.7%), South (4.8%), West (24.1%)
- Born in another country: 1,386 (3.1% of population)
--- Africa (0.1%), Asia (0.7%), Europe (0.9%), Latin America (0.6%), North America (0.8%), Oceania (0.0%)
#8. Douglas County
- Born in Washington: 24,273 (57.8% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 10,875 (25.9% of population)
--- Midwest (5.9%), Northeast (1.2%), South (3.0%), West (15.5%)
- Born in another country: 6,422 (15.3% of population)
--- Africa (0.1%), Asia (0.5%), Europe (0.8%), Latin America (13.4%), North America (0.3%), Oceania (0.1%)
#7. Ferry County
- Born in Washington: 4,409 (58.2% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 2,926 (38.6% of population)
--- Midwest (8.5%), Northeast (2.5%), South (4.6%), West (22.8%)
- Born in another country: 114 (1.5% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.4%), Europe (0.6%), Latin America (0.1%), North America (0.3%), Oceania (0.1%)
#6. Lewis County
- Born in Washington: 46,296 (59.2% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 26,938 (34.5% of population)
--- Midwest (7.4%), Northeast (2.2%), South (4.4%), West (20.4%)
- Born in another country: 4,049 (5.2% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.7%), Europe (0.7%), Latin America (3.3%), North America (0.3%), Oceania (0.1%)
#5. Okanogan County
- Born in Washington: 24,924 (59.6% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 12,148 (29.0% of population)
--- Midwest (6.8%), Northeast (2.2%), South (4.2%), West (15.5%)
- Born in another country: 4,408 (10.5% of population)
--- Africa (0.1%), Asia (0.8%), Europe (0.3%), Latin America (8.6%), North America (0.7%), Oceania (0.0%)

#4. Yakima County
- Born in Washington: 150,434 (60.2% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 51,122 (20.5% of population)
--- Midwest (4.0%), Northeast (1.0%), South (3.6%), West (11.8%)
- Born in another country: 46,708 (18.7% of population)
--- Africa (0.2%), Asia (0.7%), Europe (0.3%), Latin America (17.4%), North America (0.2%), Oceania (0.0%)
#3. Kittitas County
- Born in Washington: 29,103 (63.4% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 13,913 (30.3% of population)
--- Midwest (6.6%), Northeast (3.4%), South (4.6%), West (15.5%)
- Born in another country: 2,359 (5.1% of population)
--- Africa (0.1%), Asia (1.3%), Europe (0.6%), Latin America (2.4%), North America (0.5%), Oceania (0.2%)
#2. Grays Harbor County
- Born in Washington: 46,589 (64.0% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 21,963 (30.2% of population)
--- Midwest (6.7%), Northeast (1.7%), South (4.3%), West (17.4%)
- Born in another country: 3,494 (4.8% of population)
--- Africa (0.1%), Asia (1.0%), Europe (0.6%), Latin America (2.8%), North America (0.4%), Oceania (0.0%)
#1. Lincoln County
- Born in Washington: 6,906 (65.3% of population)
- Born in another U.S. state or territory: 3,429 (32.4% of population)
--- Midwest (8.5%), Northeast (1.9%), South (5.0%), West (17.0%)
- Born in another country: 182 (1.7% of population)
--- Africa (0.0%), Asia (0.6%), Europe (0.4%), Latin America (0.4%), North America (0.2%), Oceania (0.1%)