Skagit County Trends – January 2024

In PEOPLE:

0.1.1  Total Population & Annual Growth Rate 
Between the Aprils of 2023 and 2022, Skagit County picked up an estimated 750 new residents. This represented a 0.6% year-over-year growth rate, tied with the U.S. rate but considerably below the pace in the state (1.1%). In fact, the County has experienced historically slow growth since the start of the pandemic (2020). The average growth rate of the prior four years was three times as high, at 1.7%. Clearly, some factors have been in play to tamp down population growth here. 

0.2.3  Population of People of Color as a Share of Total Population
The share of People of Color in Skagit County’s population in 2022 was estimated at 27%. This is down a bit from the historical peak of 30% reached in 2021. The leading contributor to this diverse group continued to be Hispanic/Latinos, claiming 19% of the total population. The second largest group, as before, consisted of Two or More Races. A decade ago, People of Color in Skagit County claimed a slightly lower share of the population: 24%. In 2022, Census estimated the total share of People of Color in Washington at 37% and in the U.S. at 43%. 
(To simplify the graph, click on the items in the legend you would like to ignore.) 

0.3.6  Total & Share of Households with Broadband Access
For 2022, Census estimated that the number of Skagit County households with access to broadband other than cellular was about 39,200. This is down slightly from the peak reached in 2021 of about 40,300. The rate in 2022 stayed did not move much from 2021 - 77%, above the U.S. but below Washington average rates. Over the eight years tracked by this indicator, broadband penetration in the county has steadily increased from 73%. 

In EDUCATION:

3.5.2  Share of the Adult Population with at Least Some College or an Associate's Degree
For the first time in a few years, the share of the Skagit County population ages 25 or over with some experience at a community college – AA or course-taking with no degree – declined. The estimated share for 2022 was 33.3%. While a decline, this represents a far higher share than that observed state-wide and nationally. Over time, Skagit County has shown a much higher percentage of its population with exposure to community college, reaching as high as 43% in 2010. 
(To simplify the graph, click on the items in the legend you would like to ignore.)

In EDUCATION cont.:

3.5.3  Share of the Adult Population with At Least a Bachelor's Degree
In contrast to the profile of educational attainment at the community college level, Skagit County’s share of the population ages 25 or over with at least a Bachelor’s degree is considerably lower than those of the U.S. and Washington state. In 2022, Census estimated that about 18% of county residents held a Bachelor’s degree while about 12% claimed a professional or graduate degree. Nonetheless, at a total of 30%, these shares are the highest on record.
(To simplify the graph, click on the items in the legend you would like to ignore.) 

In HEALTH:

5.3.1  Share of Adult Population Who are Obese
Over the decade between 2012 and 2021, the portion of adults (18+) in Skagit County who qualified as obese rose slightly – from 28% to 30%. On average, the share of the County’s adult population seen as obese was within one percentage point of the state. Obesity here is defined as a value of the Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or above. See the indicator’s “More Information” for a definition of the BMI.

5.3.2 Share of Adults Diagnosed with Diabetes
After three years of decline, the percentage of Skagit County adults (18+) who have been told by a health care provider that they have diabetes rose in 2021. For that year, with the most recent data, the share was nearly 9%. Midway through the past decade, the rate nearly hit 12%. However, at the start of the period (2012), the rate was lower, at about 7%. Although they have diverged for some years, the rates for both Skagit County and Washington state have yielded nearly the same average.

5.4.1 Share of Adults with a Personal Healthcare Provider
Possessing insurance is a necessary but not sufficient condition to access consistent healthcare. One also needs to have a personal healthcare provider. Thankfully, both trends are heading the right direction. As Trends indicator 5.4.4 reveals, the share of Skagit County adults without health insurance has recently hovered at an all-time low of 6%. Similarly, the share of adults with a healthcare provider in 2021, the most recent year available, was at an all-time high of 84%. This represents a large gain from 2012, when it stood at 72%.

updated 1.23.24