Explore Washington county boundaries, county seats and 2020 Census population counts, with a labeled map and a full alphabetical county list.
Washington state has 39 counties. The county map covers the Pacific Coast, Puget Sound region, Cascade Mountains and eastern Washington. Use it to place Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, Spokane, Vancouver and Olympia in their county context. Washington state is distinct from Washington, D.C.; this guide covers the Pacific Northwest state.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| State Name | Washington |
| State Abbreviation | WA |
| Capital City | Olympia |
| County-level Areas | 39 counties |
| Population (2020 Census) | 7,705,281 |
| Land Area (2020 Census) | 66,456.57 square miles |
The Cascade region separates many western and eastern county areas. Islands and coastal inlets can make some western boundaries more complex. The map labels every county, using numbered callouts where names would overlap. County seats connect the geographic areas with their principal government centers.
Population comparisons below use the April 1, 2020 Census. They are census counts, not current estimates. Using the same year makes the county comparisons consistent.
| County / Equivalent | County Seat / Government Center | Population — 2020 Census |
|---|---|---|
| King County | Seattle | 2,269,675 |
| Pierce County | Tacoma | 921,130 |
| Snohomish County | Everett | 827,957 |
| Spokane County | Spokane | 539,339 |
| Clark County | Vancouver | 503,311 |
| Thurston County | Olympia | 294,793 |
| Kitsap County | Port Orchard | 275,611 |
The complete alphabetical list below includes all 39 county-level areas, including the 32 not shown in this population table.
| Format | Download |
|---|---|
| PNG Map | Download Now |
| PDF Printable | Download Now |
| SVG Editable | Download Now |
| GIS Shapefile (ZIP) | Download Now |
❓ How many counties are in Washington?
Washington has 39 counties. All county-level areas are identified on this map.
❓ What is the capital of Washington?
Olympia is the state capital.
❓ Which county had the largest population in the 2020 Census?
King County had 2,269,675 residents in the 2020 Census. Its county seat or government center is Seattle.
❓ What is the largest county in Washington by land area?
Okanogan County has the greatest land area in the Census boundary dataset. Land area and population rankings measure different things.
❓ What county is Seattle in?
Seattle is the county seat of King County.
❓ What county is Tacoma in?
Tacoma is in Pierce County and serves as its county seat.
❓ What county is Olympia in?
Olympia is Washington’s capital and the county seat of Thurston County.
❓ What county is Vancouver, Washington in?
Vancouver, Washington is the county seat of Clark County. It is a different city from Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada.
❓ How should I use this county map?
Use a county name or a known county seat to identify the area, then follow its boundary to neighboring counties. City limits and county boundaries are different. This reference map does not show property lines or road navigation.
Boundaries and county names are from U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, January 1, 2026 vintage. Population and state land-area figures use 2020 Census geography and counts. County seats and state geography were checked against Washington county government profiles. The 2020 population figures are not presented as current estimates.
