Washington · 125 places of 5,000+
Fastest-growing cities in Washington, 2020 to 2024
Short answer
Ridgefield is the fastest-growing city of 5,000+ in Washington, +41.3% from 2020 to 2024. Black Diamond (+40.1%) is second.
- Fastest
- +41.3%
- Growing
- 91
- Shrinking
- 34
The 20 fastest-growing
Ridgefield grew fastest, from 10,872 in July 2020 to 15,359 in July 2024, +41.3%. It is the 69th largest of the 125 places ranked. 91 places grew and 34 shrank or held flat; the median change was +2.6%.
By raw numbers the biggest gain was in Seattle, +40,395 people. At the other end, Connell changed by -6.8%. Growth is measured between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates for places with 5,000 or more residents in 2024, so fast growth from a small base can outrank larger absolute gains.
- 01Ridgefield+41.3%
- 02Black Diamond+40.1%
- 03Sultan+35.5%
- 04Port Orchard+22.3%
- 05Burlington+18.4%
- 06Mountlake Terrace+18.4%
- 07Deer Park+17.8%
- 08West Richland+14.8%
- 09Stanwood+14.7%
- 10Ocean Shores+14.1%
- 11Duvall+14.0%
- 12North Bend+14.0%
- 13Shoreline+12.6%
- 14Redmond+12.0%
- 15Airway Heights+10.7%
- 16Ferndale+10.3%
- 17Battle Ground+10.0%
- 18Liberty Lake+10.0%
- 19Arlington+9.5%
- 20Yelm+9.5%
Dots: the 20 places in the chart. Orange pin: Ridgefield, ranked first.
All 125 places of 5,000+ ranked
| # | Place | 2024 | Since 2020 | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ridgefield | 15,359 | +41.3% | Clark County |
| 2 | Black Diamond | 6,787 | +40.1% | King County |
| 3 | Sultan | 7,002 | +35.5% | Snohomish County |
| 4 | Port Orchard | 19,122 | +22.3% | Kitsap County |
| 5 | Burlington | 10,945 | +18.4% | Skagit County |
| 6 | Mountlake Terrace | 25,198 | +18.4% | Snohomish County |
| 7 | Deer Park | 5,191 | +17.8% | Spokane County |
| 8 | West Richland | 18,820 | +14.8% | Benton County |
| 9 | Stanwood | 8,943 | +14.7% | Snohomish County |
| 10 | Ocean Shores | 7,731 | +14.1% | Grays Harbor County |
| 11 | Duvall | 9,176 | +14.0% | King County |
| 12 | North Bend | 8,553 | +14.0% | King County |
| 13 | Shoreline | 66,251 | +12.6% | King County |
| 14 | Redmond | 82,195 | +12.0% | King County |
| 15 | Airway Heights | 11,950 | +10.7% | Spokane County |
| 16 | Ferndale | 16,706 | +10.3% | Whatcom County |
| 17 | Battle Ground | 22,959 | +10.0% | Clark County |
| 18 | Liberty Lake | 13,353 | +10.0% | Spokane County |
| 19 | Arlington | 21,959 | +9.5% | Snohomish County |
| 20 | Yelm | 11,715 | +9.5% | Thurston County |
| 21 | Buckley | 5,641 | +9.0% | Pierce County |
| 22 | Edgewood | 13,496 | +8.6% | Pierce County |
| 23 | Quincy | 8,294 | +8.6% | Grant County |
| 24 | SeaTac | 34,024 | +8.4% | King County |
| 25 | Blaine | 6,371 | +8.0% | Whatcom County |
| 26 | Lynnwood | 41,597 | +7.9% | Snohomish County |
| 27 | Bothell | 51,770 | +7.5% | King County +1 |
| 28 | Marysville | 76,209 | +7.4% | Snohomish County |
| 29 | Tumwater | 27,826 | +6.4% | Thurston County |
| 30 | Prosser | 6,540 | +6.4% | Benton County |
| 31 | Omak | 5,167 | +6.3% | Okanogan County |
| 32 | Lynden | 16,783 | +6.2% | Whatcom County |
| 33 | Sedro-Woolley | 13,215 | +6.0% | Skagit County |
| 34 | Moses Lake | 26,969 | +6.0% | Grant County |
| 35 | Grandview | 11,599 | +5.7% | Yakima County |
| 36 | Lake Stevens | 41,350 | +5.7% | Snohomish County |
| 37 | Richland | 64,372 | +5.7% | Benton County |
| 38 | Selah | 8,653 | +5.7% | Yakima County |
| 39 | Seattle | 780,995 | +5.5% | King County |
| 40 | Washougal | 17,944 | +5.2% | Clark County |
| 41 | Pasco | 81,724 | +5.2% | Franklin County |
| 42 | Othello | 9,001 | +5.2% | Adams County |
| 43 | Poulsbo | 12,562 | +4.9% | Kitsap County |
| 44 | Port Townsend | 10,649 | +4.7% | Jefferson County |
| 45 | Gig Harbor | 12,643 | +4.6% | Pierce County |
| 46 | Spokane Valley | 108,267 | +4.5% | Spokane County |
| 47 | Enumclaw | 13,173 | +4.4% | King County |
| 48 | Bellingham | 95,860 | +4.3% | Whatcom County |
| 49 | Vancouver | 198,992 | +4.0% | Clark County |
| 50 | Tacoma | 228,202 | +3.8% | Pierce County |
| 51 | Bremerton | 45,291 | +3.8% | Kitsap County |
| 52 | Centralia | 19,061 | +3.6% | Lewis County |
| 53 | Snohomish | 10,534 | +3.5% | Snohomish County |
| 54 | Woodinville | 13,942 | +3.5% | King County |
| 55 | Covington | 21,567 | +3.4% | King County |
| 56 | Lacey | 58,644 | +3.3% | Thurston County |
| 57 | Kennewick | 86,728 | +3.2% | Benton County |
| 58 | Chehalis | 7,717 | +3.2% | Lewis County |
| 59 | Camas | 27,313 | +3.1% | Clark County |
| 60 | Kirkland | 95,499 | +3.0% | King County |
| 61 | Shelton | 10,737 | +2.9% | Mason County |
| 62 | Ephrata | 8,718 | +2.7% | Grant County |
| 63 | Anacortes | 18,148 | +2.6% | Skagit County |
| 64 | Medical Lake | 5,003 | +2.5% | Spokane County |
| 65 | Sumner | 10,885 | +2.1% | Pierce County |
| 66 | Pullman | 33,543 | +2.1% | Whitman County |
| 67 | Everett | 113,011 | +1.9% | Snohomish County |
| 68 | Bellevue | 154,377 | +1.7% | King County |
| 69 | Maple Valley | 28,553 | +1.7% | King County |
| 70 | Sequim | 8,199 | +1.6% | Clallam County |
| 71 | Colville | 5,009 | +1.6% | Stevens County |
| 72 | Milton | 8,833 | +1.5% | Pierce County +1 |
| 73 | East Wenatchee | 14,330 | +1.5% | Douglas County |
| 74 | Olympia | 56,271 | +1.2% | Thurston County |
| 75 | Kenmore | 24,166 | +1.1% | King County |
| 76 | Longview | 38,294 | +1.1% | Cowlitz County |
| 77 | Des Moines | 33,207 | +1.0% | King County |
| 78 | Brier | 6,603 | +0.7% | Snohomish County |
| 79 | University Place | 35,160 | +0.7% | Pierce County |
| 80 | Spokane | 230,609 | +0.6% | Spokane County |
| 81 | Port Angeles | 20,112 | +0.5% | Clallam County |
| 82 | Bonney Lake | 22,145 | +0.5% | Pierce County |
| 83 | Union Gap | 6,582 | +0.4% | Yakima County |
| 84 | Mill Creek | 20,993 | +0.4% | Snohomish County |
| 85 | Yakima | 97,390 | +0.3% | Yakima County |
| 86 | Fife | 11,077 | +0.1% | Pierce County |
| 87 | Burien | 52,046 | +0.1% | King County |
| 88 | Mount Vernon | 35,344 | +0.1% | Skagit County |
| 89 | Edmonds | 42,871 | +0.1% | Snohomish County |
| 90 | Aberdeen | 17,044 | +0.0% | Grays Harbor County |
| 91 | Kelso | 12,737 | +0.0% | Cowlitz County |
| 92 | Kent | 136,588 | -0.0% | King County |
| 93 | Hoquiam | 8,771 | -0.1% | Grays Harbor County |
| 94 | Sunnyside | 16,317 | -0.5% | Yakima County |
| 95 | Monroe | 19,927 | -0.5% | Snohomish County |
| 96 | Tukwila | 21,636 | -0.5% | King County |
| 97 | Newcastle | 13,072 | -0.6% | King County |
| 98 | Wenatchee | 35,401 | -0.6% | Chelan County |
| 99 | Federal Way | 100,252 | -0.7% | King County |
| 100 | Woodland | 6,496 | -0.8% | Cowlitz County +1 |
| 101 | Bainbridge Island | 24,618 | -0.9% | Kitsap County |
| 102 | Mukilteo | 21,299 | -1.0% | Snohomish County |
| 103 | Walla Walla | 33,901 | -1.1% | Walla Walla County |
| 104 | Issaquah | 39,664 | -1.1% | King County |
| 105 | Renton | 105,543 | -1.1% | King County |
| 106 | Puyallup | 42,552 | -1.1% | Pierce County |
| 107 | College Place | 9,846 | -1.2% | Walla Walla County |
| 108 | Clarkston | 7,138 | -1.3% | Asotin County |
| 109 | Steilacoom | 6,649 | -1.3% | Pierce County |
| 110 | Normandy Park | 6,661 | -1.4% | King County |
| 111 | Lakewood | 62,709 | -1.4% | Pierce County |
| 112 | Sammamish | 66,474 | -1.4% | King County |
| 113 | Orting | 8,911 | -1.6% | Pierce County |
| 114 | Mercer Island | 25,302 | -1.7% | King County |
| 115 | Auburn | 85,513 | -1.8% | King County +1 |
| 116 | Oak Harbor | 24,163 | -1.9% | Island County |
| 117 | Toppenish | 8,658 | -1.9% | Yakima County |
| 118 | Pacific | 7,085 | -2.1% | King County +1 |
| 119 | Snoqualmie | 13,748 | -2.4% | King County |
| 120 | Lake Forest Park | 13,276 | -2.4% | King County |
| 121 | Fircrest | 6,988 | -2.4% | Pierce County |
| 122 | DuPont | 9,823 | -2.9% | Pierce County |
| 123 | Ellensburg | 20,996 | -2.9% | Kittitas County |
| 124 | Cheney | 12,700 | -5.1% | Spokane County |
| 125 | Connell | 5,071 | -6.8% | Franklin County |
Questions people ask
What is the fastest-growing city in Washington?
Ridgefield, up 41.3% from July 2020 to July 2024 among places of 5,000+, to 15,359 residents.
Which Washington city added the most people?
Seattle, which gained 40,395 residents from July 2020 to July 2024.
How many Washington cities are shrinking?
34 of 125 places of 5,000+ had the same or fewer residents in July 2024 than in July 2020.
Why use places of 5,000 or more?
Small towns can swing by double-digit percentages from a few new homes, and Census estimates for them carry more uncertainty. The 5,000 floor keeps the ranking to places where a percentage means something.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.