Clark County’s population growth at slowest in years

Clark County’s population growth is at its slowest in decades, according to an analysis of the latest population estimates from the Washington State Office of Financial Management. The April report released late last month put the county’s population at 542,400 people, up from 536,300 the year before. “This is the lowest percent change in over a decade,” local economist Scott Bailey said. The population grew by only 1.14 percent compared with a year ago. The population hasn’t grown so little since at least 1970, said Bailey, formerly Southwest Washington regional labor economist for the Washington Department of Employment Security. “And the other lows were during extreme recessions,” he said, pointing to the 1982 recession and the Great Recession around 2008. Bailey said, however, that the slower pace is due at least in part to Clark County being bigger than it was 30 years ago. “The bigger you get, you’re not going to keep up that high percentage,” Bailey said. With a larger population base, even the same actual number of newcomers year to year would result in a smaller percentage increase. But the actual number has also fallen. The county added 6,100 people between 2024 and 2025 compared with 9,789 between 2020 and 2021. Bailey said higher interest rates, issues with housing supply and a slower growing Portland metro area likely played a role in the declining numbers. “A lot of the most conducive housing spots have been taken up already,” he said. The growth is only slightly lower than what the county government has estimated going forward and about 1,000 below the office of financial management’s own projections. “The population growth at the county level is part of a trend of slower growth that is occurring at the state and national level,” said Jose Alvarez, community planning program manager for Clark County. “The largest driver of the county’s growth is in-migration and that is slowing.” Alvarez said he expects that trend to continue. Even at its lower rate, Clark County still saw more growth than many of the other counties around the state. The April population count puts Clark County as the fifth most populated county in the state, behind King, Pierce, Snohomish and Spokane. Spokane County’s population is closest to Clark’s. The Eastern Washington county is home to 566,000 people, the state data shows. All of the cities within Clark County saw their populations increase this year. The data shows Battle Ground’s population at 22,790 — 320 more than the previous year; Camas at 27,970 — 310 more; La Center at 4,270 people — 225 more; Ridgefield at 16,290 people — 500 more; Vancouver at 205,100 people — 2,500 more; Washougal at 18,360 people — 210 more; and Yacolt at 1,785 people — 115 more. Ridgefield was once one of the fastest growing cities in the state, but that’s dropped off in recent years. The city’s population grew by only 3.17 percent between 2024 and 2025, down from 15.35 percent between 2020 and 2021. La Center and Yacolt grew at faster rates. La Center’s population grew 5.56 percent, while Yacolt’s grew 6.89 percent. Vancouver is still the fourth largest city in the state, behind Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma. Spokane has 234,700 people, according to the state, while Tacoma has 228,400. Bailey said he isn’t too worried about the slow growth in Clark County over a single year. “Talk to me in two years,” he said. Sarah Wolf: 360-735-4513; sarah.wolf@columbian.com

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