About our County

San Juan County, Washington was established as a part of Washington Territory in 1873. The County consists of 176 named islands and reefs (up to 743 at low tides). San Juan is the smallest of Washington's 39 Countys with approximately 175 square miles of land area and had a population in 2001 of 14,400.

The largest islands in the County are San Juan, Orcas, Lopez, and Shaw, all of which are served by the Washington State Ferry System. The County is located in the northwest corner of Washington State. The nearest major population centers are Victoria and Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle, WA.

The County seat is Friday Harbor, located on San Juan Island.

County Government

County Governments in Washington State, including San Juan County, serve three major roles:

 State Agent

  • Prosecuting Attorney
  • Public Defender
  • Superior Court
  • Juvenile Court
  • Jail
  • Juvenile Detention
  • Medical Examiner
  • Mental Health
  • Developmental Disabilities
  • Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Progr
    • ams
  • Elections
  • Treasurer
  • Document Recording
  • Vital Statistics
  • Property Tax Administration
  • Vehicle and Marriage Licenses
  • Regional Government
  • Local Government

 Regional Government

  • Specialized Law Enforcement
  • District Court
  • Domestic Violence Services
  • Medic I
  • E-911 and Central Dispatch
  • Public Health
  • Aging Services
  • Housing Programs
  • Energy Assistance and Weatherization
  • Veterans Assistance
  • WSU Extension
  • Animal Control
  • Emergency Management
  • Search and Rescue
  • Countywide Growth Management Policies
  • Solid Waste Management
  • Economic Development
  • Tourism
  • County Fair

 Local Government

  • Law Enforcement
  • Roads
  • Land Use Planning
  • Development Regulations
  • Building Permits
  • Parks and Recreation
  • Garbage and Recycling
  • Surface Water Planning and Control
  • Weed Control

Statistics

 

Amount
(all $ figures in US dollars)

 Ranking Among the
39 Counties of Washington State
Population (estimates for 2005) 15,274 32
 

Unincorporated
Incorporated
(source: US Census Bureau estimates)

 13,178
2,096		 29
35
Land Area (all figures in square miles)
 174.9 39
  San Juan Island
Orcas Island
Lopez Island
Shaw Island
 		 55.3
56.9
29.5
7.7		  
Population Density
(persons per square mile)
 		 87.3 11
Total Assessed Value in 2007
(Real Estate only; at Fair Market Value)
 		 $5,838,533,234 20
Per Capita Assessed Value of Real Estate
(2004 estimate; at Fair Market Value)
 		 $335,704 1

Per Capita Income (estimate for 1999)
(source: US Census Bureau estimates)
 

 $30,603 1

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