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About Snohomish County |
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In the last several years,
record population and economic growth has inflated property values
(both residential and commercial) and produced serious traffic
congestion. Firms that might otherwise have automatically chosen a
King County site are discovering less expensive, less congested
neighboring counties like Snohomish. The county is well-positioned to
take advantage of this situation to enhance its economic development. Many counties in the state
have been taxing their economic development skills to attract new
businesses and new jobs. Snohomish County, in contrast, has been once
of the few beset with a comparative abundance of economic growth. The
development of the Navy Carrier Homeport in Everett and the expansion
of the Boeing Company's Everett plan are two booms to the local
economy which will contribute to strong employment and income growth
in the area for many years to come.
Geography
Situated in
Western
Washington, Snohomish County is essentially bordered on the west by
Puget Sound, giving the county a deep-water link to the Pacific.
Interestingly, Snohomish County also provides a mainland link to
Camano Island, a part of Island County, in the northwestern corner of
the county near Stanwood. The county's boundary with Skagit County to
the north is a political creation, following no natural topographical
characteristics. The county's eastern boundary more or less parallels
the crest of the Cascade Range (including a fair portion of the
Pacific Crest Trail) as it abuts Chelan County. The county is most
intimately connected, though, to King County to the south. At 2,100
square miles, Snohomish County is the 13th largest county in
Washington in terms of land mass. The western half of Snohomish County sits on a flood plain of the Snohomish and Stillaguamish rivers and is characterized by relatively flat, gently rolling terrain. The vast majority of the area's populace has settled in its western region. The eastern part of the county, which extends to the crest of the Cascade Range, consists of densely forested, mountainous terrain falling within the boundaries of parts of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the North Cascades National park. Eastern Snohomish County also contains, or is part of, the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness, Glacier Peak, and Boulder River Wilderness areas. Elevations in the county range from sea level along its western shores to 10,541 feet at Glacier Peak in the Cascades. Other significant elevations, also in the Cascades, are at Kyes Peak (7,280 feet above sea level), Sloan Peak (7,835 feet above sea level), and Monte Cristo Peak (7,233 feet above sea level). Major tributaries are the Stillaguamish, Snohomish, Skykomish, Snoqualmie, Sultan, and Sauk rivers.
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Equal Housing
Opportunity