Did you know there are over 170 different community indicators on Skagit County Trends - each updated throughout the year? But which ones, and when?
This issue of the Skagit County Trends blog lists some of the most recently updated indicators on the Skagit County Trends website.
This page will be updated and email alerts sent on a quarterly basis. Don't miss an update - subscribe today!
Recent Updates
In PEOPLE:
Residual net migration in the county stayed steady in 2025.
Net in-migration, the primary source of new residents, was estimated to be 1,410 by the Washington state Office of Financial Management between April 1, 2024 and April 1, 2025. The net inflow was about the same as over the prior 12 months, and fourth-highest since the Great Recession (2008-2009).
As a percentage of the total population, in-migrants made up 1% last year, a bit higher than they do statewide.
This estimated share, a proxy for the size of the immigrant population, declined to about 15% in 2024. The most recent high was 19% in 2018. For all years tracked by the indicator, the rate in Skagit County has lain well below those of the U.S. and the state. For 2024, for example, their shares were 23% and 22%, respectively.
In AGRICULTURE:
The number of small farms declined in the most recent Census of Agriculture.
These estimates, released in 2024, refer to 2022. In that year, the number of small farms – less than 10 acres – in Skagit County stood at 273, a sharp downturn from 5 and 10 years prior. As a share of all farms in the county, small farms made up nearly one third (31%), a higher rate than observed throughout the state.
In ECONOMIC VITALITY:
The number & share of total population living in poverty remains relatively low in the county.
For 2024, Census estimates that nearly 12,400 county residents had money income (excluding in-kind benefits) below the federal poverty thresholds. These vary by family size. For instance, in 2024 the income threshold for a family of 4 was $31,200.
The 2024 estimates mark the fourth year in two decades that Skagit County’s all-age poverty rate was single digits, here 9.5%. This is a better result than seen state- and nation-wide.
In EDUCATION:
The number of childcare providers in 2024 remained about the same in Skagit County.
The count from Child Aware of Washington put the number of providers at 96, down slightly from 2023. For these two years, the “density” of providers per child in the county has been above the density seen throughout Washington state.
In EDUCATION cont.:
The number & share of public K-12 students in special education continues to rise in the county.
Special education students continue to play larger part among the seven school districts of Skagit County. In school year 2024-25, the number exceeded 3,200, a record. This is partly due to greater enrollment, but more likely due to other factors, as enrollment increases have not been too large.
As a rate of all students in all districts, special education students made nearly one fifth (19%) in the most recent school year. This is higher than state average of nearly 17% in the same year.
For the most recent school year, 2024-2025, the seven public school districts in the county counted nearly 3,500 students who qualify for ELL status. A decade ago, the count was approximately, 2,800. The proportion of the public K-12 student body who are ELLs reached 19% in school year 2024-25. This is considerably higher than the state average of 15% and t the county’s rate a decade ago, at 15%.
In HEALTH:
Receiving pre-birth consultation from medical providers has been shown to be beneficial for both child and mother. As a percentage of all pregnant women, the share in Skagit County has held steady over the past few years. In 2024, the rate was 78%, very similar to the average of the past decade.
The number of women giving birth in the recent, post-covid years, however, has trailed off significantly from pre-pandemic years. In 2024, for example, the number in the county was 891. Contrast this to three-year average before the pandemic of 1,014. Clearly, the pandemic affected the births in the county.
The number of public K-12 students who used alcohol in the past 30 days has plummeted.
In the Washington Healthy Youth Survey, public school students are queried on a variety of health-related topics. One area addresses substance use and abuse. This indicator asks students whether they’ve consumed alcohol in the past 30 days. Affirmative responses are now the lowest on record for Skagit County K-12 students.
In 2023, the most recent year of the survey, 5%, 9% and 22% of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders, respectively, said yes. About a decade ago (2012), the shares of ayes were much higher: 15%, 28% and 37%. Currently, shares by Skagit County’s students are about the same as those state-wide, with the exception of seniors, whose affirmative responses were four percentage points higher than the state average.
To simplify the graph, click on the element(s) in the legend you would like to hide.
In RECREATION & TOURISM:
Size of the labor force in tourism industries is recovering but hasn’t recovered completely.
The total number working in Skagit County’s core tourism industries hit 5,000 in 2024.This was well above the trough experienced in 2020, when the number slipped to 4,100. However, the total is a bit below the peak reached in 2019, when it was slightly greater than 5,100.
The indicator is dominated by the head count in two industries: restaurants, bars and cafes; and accommodation providers (hotels, motels, bed & breakfast, VRBO). Other, much smaller industries that are counted are arts businesses (and non-profits) and recreation services providers. The current share of these tourism-oriented industries of the total county workforce is about 12%. This share is a bit lower than the U.S. but higher than the state-wide shares.
To simplify the graph, click on the element(s) in the legend you would like to hide.
updated 2.12.25
The full list of Skagit County Trends can be found here.
New Intern Features:
Moon Alvarez
Hometown: Wapato, WA
Major: Accounting and Human Resources
Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2028
Post-graduation plans: Follow the job opportunities, whether here or elsewhere.
After a few months of working on the Trends project, my favorite thing so far:
My favorite thing so far is updating the indicators! I've always been a big numbers person. Updating indicators and seeing the way everything has changed over time is extremely interesting.