Clallam County is located on Washington’s northwestern Olympic Peninsula, bordering the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the north and Olympic National Park to the south and west. Established in 1854 and named for the Klallam (S’Klallam) people, it developed historically around maritime trade, fishing, timber, and later tourism tied to the peninsula’s natural resources. The county is mid-sized by Washington standards, with a population of roughly 77,000. Its settlement pattern is largely rural with small cities concentrated along the northern shoreline, including Port Angeles and Sequim, and more remote communities on the Pacific coast. The economy combines health services, public-sector employment, marine-related activities, forestry, and visitor services. Landscapes range from coastal beaches and temperate rainforests to river valleys and mountain terrain, contributing to a culture shaped by outdoor recreation, coastal industries, and the presence of the Lower Elwha Klallam and Jamestown S’Klallam communities. The county seat is Port Angeles.

Clallam County Local Demographic Profile

Clallam County is located on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula in the state’s northwest corner, bordering the Strait of Juan de Fuca and including communities such as Port Angeles, Sequim, and Forks. The county’s demographic profile is documented through federal datasets and local government resources, including the Clallam County official website.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Clallam County, Washington, the county’s population was 77,331 (2020) and 78,910 (July 1, 2023 estimate).

Age & Gender

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (most recent profile values shown there):

  • Age distribution (share of total population)
    • Under 18 years: 15.9%
    • 65 years and over: 30.0%
  • Gender ratio (share of total population)
    • Female persons: 50.2%
    • Male persons: 49.8%

Racial & Ethnic Composition

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (race categories shown reflect the QuickFacts profile formatting; “Hispanic or Latino” is an ethnicity and can be of any race):

  • White alone: 87.4%
  • Black or African American alone: 0.8%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 2.8%
  • Asian alone: 2.2%
  • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.3%
  • Two or more races: 6.2%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 6.7%

Household & Housing Data

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts:

  • Households (2018–2022): 34,150
  • Persons per household (2018–2022): 2.18
  • Owner-occupied housing unit rate (2018–2022): 71.2%
  • Median value of owner-occupied housing units (2018–2022): $381,000
  • Median gross rent (2018–2022): $1,152
  • Building permits (2023): 216

Email Usage

Clallam County spans mountainous terrain and long coastal corridors on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, with population concentrated around Port Angeles and smaller, more remote communities. This geography and relatively low density can constrain fixed-network buildout and make digital communication—including email—more dependent on available broadband and device access.

Direct, county-level email usage statistics are generally not published; broadband subscription and computer access from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS) serve as standard proxies for likely email access. ACS tables on household broadband subscriptions and computer/Internet access indicate the share of households equipped to reliably use email, while gaps in these indicators suggest reduced adoption or more mobile-only access.

Age structure also affects email adoption: Clallam County has a comparatively older population profile in ACS age tables, and older age distributions are commonly associated with lower digital participation and higher accessibility needs.

Gender distribution in ACS is not a primary driver of email access at the county scale and is typically less explanatory than age and connectivity.

Connectivity limitations are reflected in federal and state broadband availability mapping and local planning materials, including the FCC National Broadband Map and the Clallam County government resources on infrastructure and services.

Mobile Phone Usage

Clallam County is on Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula, bordering the Strait of Juan de Fuca, with major population centers including Port Angeles, Sequim, and Forks. The county contains extensive mountainous and forested terrain (including Olympic National Park) and long stretches of sparsely populated coastline and river valleys. These physical and settlement patterns contribute to uneven cellular signal propagation and a typical divide between stronger coverage along U.S. Highway 101 and population centers versus weaker or absent service in remote, mountainous, or heavily forested areas.

County context relevant to mobile connectivity (terrain, settlement, density)

  • Terrain: The Olympic Mountains and dense conifer forests create line-of-sight limitations and increase signal attenuation, affecting both coverage and in-building performance.
  • Settlement pattern: Population is concentrated in a few towns with large intervening rural areas, raising per-site costs for mobile network expansion.
  • Transportation corridors: Coverage commonly tracks major roads (notably US‑101) more closely than backcountry or interior park areas.

Network availability (coverage) vs. adoption (use)

This overview distinguishes:

  • Network availability: where mobile broadband signals are reported as available (provider coverage, 4G/5G service footprints).
  • Adoption: whether households or individuals actually subscribe to mobile service or rely on it for internet access.

County-level adoption and device-type detail are not consistently published in a single authoritative dataset. The most comparable public measures are generally at the state level (Washington) or are available as modeled/aggregated indicators in federal surveys and coverage maps.

Mobile network availability in Clallam County (4G/5G)

4G LTE availability

  • General pattern: 4G LTE is broadly available in and around Port Angeles and Sequim and along principal highways, with notable gaps and weaker service expected in interior mountainous areas, heavily forested terrain, and parts of the west end near and around Olympic National Park boundaries.
  • Primary public sources:
    • The FCC’s National Broadband Map provides location-based provider-reported mobile broadband availability and allows inspection of coverage by technology generation and provider footprint. See the FCC National Broadband Map.

5G availability (reported coverage)

  • General pattern: 5G availability is typically most common near population centers and along higher-traffic corridors; it is generally less extensive than LTE in rural and mountainous areas. Countywide 5G coverage commonly varies by provider and spectrum type (low-band vs mid-band vs high-band), with the most limited propagation for high-band deployments.
  • Primary public sources:

Coverage limitations and reporting considerations

  • Provider-reported coverage: FCC mobile availability is based on provider filings and modeling; real-world performance can differ due to topography, network load, and in-building attenuation. This affects both rural Clallam areas and the edges of populated areas.
  • On-the-ground variability: Mountain ridges, valleys, and forest canopy can produce abrupt changes in service even within short distances.

Household adoption and mobile access indicators (actual use)

Household internet subscription context (including mobile)

  • ACS internet subscription statistics: The U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) publishes “types of internet subscriptions” (including cellular data plan categories) for geographies that meet publication thresholds. These tables are a primary source for distinguishing household adoption from mere availability.
  • Limitations at county detail: Some ACS internet-subscription detail is available at the county level, but device-type (smartphone vs feature phone) and nuanced mobile-only usage behaviors are often measured more robustly at national/state levels or in specialized surveys rather than consistently at the county level.

Mobile-only vs. fixed-plus-mobile patterns

  • National/state framing: Many households maintain fixed broadband plus mobile data service; “mobile-only” internet access is more likely where fixed options are limited, expensive, or less reliable. County-specific mobile-only prevalence can be difficult to cite definitively without an ACS table explicitly reporting cellular-only subscription and without checking Clallam’s published margins of error.
  • Where to verify: For Clallam County, the most defensible public approach is to use ACS internet subscription tables in Census.gov and distinguish:
    • households with cellular data plan only
    • households with fixed broadband (cable/fiber/DSL) with or without cellular

Mobile internet usage patterns (practical use vs availability)

  • In-town usage: In Port Angeles and Sequim, mobile internet use patterns align with typical urbanizing areas—smartphone-centric usage with streaming, messaging, navigation, and app-based services—supported by generally stronger LTE and partial 5G coverage.
  • Rural and remote usage: In sparsely populated areas (including west-end communities and unincorporated areas), mobile data may be used as:
    • a primary internet connection where fixed broadband is limited, or
    • a supplemental connection where fixed broadband exists but mobile coverage is intermittent.
  • Emergency and resilience role: Terrain and weather can affect utility and backhaul reliability; mobile service plays an important role for alerts and communications, but actual reliability remains location-dependent. County emergency management and local public safety communications context is generally documented through local government channels such as the Clallam County government website (for local services and planning information).

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

  • Dominant device type: Smartphones are the primary endpoint for mobile access in the U.S. and in Washington State generally; county-specific device shares (smartphone vs. feature phone) are not typically published as official statistics at the county level.
  • Other connected devices: Tablets, mobile hotspots, and fixed wireless receivers may be used in rural settings, but standardized public reporting on these device categories is limited at county granularity.
  • Best-available public measurement approach: Use ACS internet subscription types and device access indicators where available via Census.gov, recognizing that ACS focuses on subscription types rather than enumerating handset classes.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage in Clallam County

Geographic factors

  • Topography and land cover: Mountains and dense forests create coverage shadows and reduce indoor signal levels; this can increase reliance on Wi‑Fi calling where fixed internet exists and reduce consistent mobile data performance in remote areas.
  • Population concentration: Higher adoption and better-performing mobile service typically align with higher density areas where carriers concentrate infrastructure investment.
  • Tourism and seasonal demand: Visitor flows to Olympic Peninsula destinations can increase network load in specific corridors and towns, affecting perceived performance even where coverage exists.

Demographic and socioeconomic factors (data limitations noted)

  • Age distribution and digital habits: Older populations often show different mobile usage patterns (e.g., lower app adoption, different device replacement cycles) in many surveys, but a county-specific, authoritative breakdown for Clallam is not consistently available in public datasets focused specifically on mobile behavior.
  • Income and affordability: Household income influences the likelihood of maintaining both fixed broadband and mobile data plans; this relationship is well established in national surveys, while Clallam-specific mobile-plan adoption detail generally requires careful use of ACS tables and margins of error.
  • Where demographic context is sourced: Baseline demographic characteristics for Clallam County are available from Census.gov (ACS demographic profiles), which can be paired with ACS internet subscription tables to describe adoption patterns without conflating them with coverage.

Key limitations of county-level mobile statistics

  • Penetration metrics: Carrier subscriber counts and smartphone/feature-phone splits are not typically released in a county-resolved, standardized public format.
  • Coverage vs. experience: FCC-reported availability indicates where service is claimed to be available, not the actual speed, latency, or indoor reliability experienced by users.
  • Survey uncertainty: Where ACS or other surveys publish county estimates for internet subscription types, margins of error can be substantial for smaller geographies, affecting precision.

Primary public sources for Clallam County mobile connectivity

Social Media Trends

Clallam County sits on Washington’s northwestern Olympic Peninsula along the Strait of Juan de Fuca, anchored by Port Angeles (county seat) and including Sequim and Forks. The county’s mix of small-city services, rural communities, and tourism tied to Olympic National Park and coastal recreation contributes to a communication environment where local news, community groups, and event information are commonly shared via mainstream social platforms.

User statistics (local availability and best proxies)

  • County-specific social-media penetration: No regularly published, methodologically consistent dataset provides official social media usage/penetration measured specifically for Clallam County.
  • State context (broad proxy): Washington has high broadband/smartphone access relative to many states, supporting widespread social platform access. National benchmark surveys remain the most reliable way to quantify likely usage patterns at the county level.
  • National benchmark (most-cited):
  • Local demographic implication: Clallam County’s older age structure than Washington overall tends to be associated with lower overall social media penetration than younger-leaning counties, based on age-usage relationships documented by Pew.

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

National patterns that most strongly predict county-level usage:

  • 18–29: Highest social media use and highest multi-platform use.
  • 30–49: Very high use; often a mix of Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and messaging.
  • 50–64: Moderate-to-high use; Facebook and YouTube are commonly used.
  • 65+: Lowest overall use, but still substantial; Facebook and YouTube dominate among users. Source for age gradients and platform-by-age: Pew Research Center social media fact sheet.

Gender breakdown

  • Overall gender differences in social media use are generally modest in U.S. benchmark surveys, but platform-specific differences persist.
  • Women are more likely than men to report using certain platforms oriented toward social connection and visual sharing (often including Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest).
  • Men are more likely than women to report using some discussion- or video-oriented platforms in certain survey waves. Source for gender-by-platform comparisons: Pew Research Center social media fact sheet.

Most-used platforms (reliable percentages where available)

County-level platform shares are not published consistently; the most defensible figures are national benchmarks used as proxies for likely platform ordering in Clallam County:

Local platform ordering (expected): Given Clallam County’s smaller-city/rural characteristics and older age profile, Facebook and YouTube typically function as the most broadly used platforms, with Instagram and TikTok more concentrated among younger residents.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

  • Community information and local groups: Smaller communities commonly rely on Facebook Pages/Groups for local announcements, mutual aid, event promotion, and civic updates; this aligns with Facebook’s strength in community networking and broad age coverage.
  • Video-centric consumption: YouTube serves as a primary venue for how-to content, news clips, and entertainment across age groups, consistent with its high U.S. penetration.
  • Age-driven content format preferences:
    • Younger adults: higher propensity for short-form video and creator-driven feeds (commonly TikTok/Instagram usage patterns in national data).
    • Older adults: stronger preference for feed-based updates and community posts (commonly Facebook) and lean-back video (YouTube).
  • Passive vs. active engagement: National research indicates many users spend more time consuming content than posting, with engagement often concentrated in commenting, sharing, reacting, and messaging rather than original-post creation—especially among older cohorts. Source: Pew Research Center social media fact sheet.

Family & Associates Records

Clallam County, Washington maintains limited “family” vital records at the county level. Marriage licenses and certified marriage records are issued/recorded by the Clallam County Auditor (Recording/Marriage Licensing). Birth and death certificates in Washington are state vital records; local issuance and certified copies are typically handled through the Washington State Department of Health (Vital Records) and local health offices. Adoption records are not maintained as public records; adoption files are generally sealed and managed through the courts and state systems.

Public databases relevant to family and associates include recorded-document indexes (e.g., deeds, marriage recordings, liens) maintained by the Auditor, and court case information for family-law matters via the Clallam County Clerk and statewide Washington Courts Case Search. Property ownership and parcel history, often used for household/associate research, are available through the Clallam County Assessor.

Access occurs online through county portals where provided, and in person at the Auditor/Clerk offices for recorded documents and case files. Privacy restrictions apply to juvenile matters, many family-law filings, and sealed adoption records; certified vital records require identity/eligibility verification under state rules.

Marriage & Divorce Records

Types of records available

  • Marriage licenses and certificates (marriage records)
    • Marriage licenses are issued at the county level and become part of the county marriage record after being completed and returned following the ceremony.
  • Divorce records
    • Divorce decrees (final judgments/orders) are part of the superior court case file and constitute the official record of dissolution.
    • Divorce certificates (a brief vital record summary of a dissolution) exist at the state level in Washington as a “Divorce Certificate” (a form of divorce record distinct from the court decree).
  • Annulments
    • Annulments are handled as superior court actions in Washington and are maintained as superior court case records (often titled as a petition to declare a marriage invalid and a final order/judgment).

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

  • Marriage records (Clallam County)

    • Filed/maintained by: Clallam County Auditor (Recording/Vital Records function) for county marriage records.
    • Access methods: County auditor/recording office requests and, for many Washington counties, recorded-document search tools may provide index information. Certified copies are typically issued by the auditor’s office for eligible requesters consistent with Washington law.
    • State-level access: The Washington State Department of Health (DOH), Center for Health Statistics, is the statewide custodian for certified vital records, including marriage certificates.

  • Divorce and annulment court records (Clallam County)

    • Filed/maintained by: Clallam County Superior Court Clerk as part of the superior court case record.
    • Access methods: Court case records are accessible through the clerk’s office and Washington’s court record systems, subject to court rules and redaction/sealing requirements. Many docket/index details may be available electronically; copies of orders/decrees are obtained through the clerk, with restrictions for sealed/confidential content.
    • State-level divorce certificate: Washington DOH issues certified copies of divorce certificates (separate from the court decree) under state vital-records rules.

Typical information included in these records

  • Marriage license/record

    • Full legal names of both parties (and often prior names/maiden name as provided)
    • Date and place of marriage (and/or intended place on the license; completed record reflects actual date/place reported)
    • Ages or dates of birth, and residences at time of application (as recorded on the license)
    • Date of license issuance and county of issuance
    • Officiant information and signatures/attestation (on the returned certificate portion)
    • Recording/filing details (auditor file number and recording date)

  • Divorce decree (dissolution judgment)

    • Case caption (names of parties), cause/case number, court and county
    • Date of filing and date of final orders
    • Findings and final orders dissolving the marriage
    • Orders on parenting plan/custody, child support, spousal maintenance, and property/debt division (when applicable)
    • Judge’s signature and clerk filing stamp

  • Annulment (declaration of invalidity) final order/judgment

    • Case caption, case number, court and county
    • Findings supporting invalidity and the court’s final determination
    • Related orders on children, support, and property/debts when addressed
    • Judge’s signature and clerk filing stamp

  • Divorce certificate (state vital record)

    • Names of the parties
    • County where granted and effective date of the divorce
    • Limited abstracted fields used for vital-statistics purposes (not the full terms of the decree)

Privacy or legal restrictions

  • Vital records access limits (marriage and divorce certificates)

    • Washington restricts access to certified copies of vital records (including marriage and divorce certificates) to the registrant(s) and other qualified requesters under state law and DOH rules. Identity and eligibility documentation are generally required for certified copies.
    • Informational/noncertified copies and index information may be available in more limited form depending on record type and custodian practice, but certified issuance is controlled by statute and rule.

  • Court-record privacy (divorce/annulment case files)

    • Washington court records are generally public, but specific information may be redacted or sealed under court rule (including protections for minors, confidential addresses, financial account numbers, and other protected identifiers).
    • Portions of dissolution/annulment files can be confidential by law or court order (for example, certain protection-related address information, sealed exhibits, or records involving confidential programs), which can limit copying or viewing even when the overall case is indexed publicly.

  • Clallam County custodians

    • Marriage records: county auditor as local custodian; DOH as statewide custodian for certified vital records.
    • Divorce/annulment decrees: superior court clerk as custodian of the court file; DOH as custodian for divorce certificates (vital record summaries).

Education, Employment and Housing

Clallam County is on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, bordering the Strait of Juan de Fuca, with Port Angeles as the largest population center and additional communities including Sequim and Forks. The county combines small-city services (health care, education, government) with large rural and natural areas (including nearby Olympic National Park), and its population skews older than Washington overall, with many households tied to public-sector employment, health services, tourism, and retirement-related migration. (Primary public data sources used below include the U.S. Census Bureau’s data.census.gov, the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), the Washington Employment Security Department (ESD), and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS); where county-specific point estimates are not directly available in a single published table, the summary relies on the most recent ACS 5-year or statewide reporting and notes limitations.)

Education Indicators

Public schools (count and names)

Public education is primarily provided by multiple districts, including Port Angeles, Sequim, Quillayute Valley (Forks area), Crescent, Cape Flattery, and Clallam Bay. A consolidated, up-to-date list of school buildings and addresses is published through the state directory and district profiles rather than a single county table. The most reliable current roster source is the OSPI School Directory (search by county = Clallam), which lists active public schools and program sites.

Commonly listed school names in the county include (not exhaustive; naming and configurations change with openings/closures and program moves):

  • Port Angeles area: Port Angeles High School; Stevens Middle School; Lincoln High School (alternative); elementary schools commonly include Franklin, Hamilton, Roosevelt, and Dry Creek (directory-confirmed names and status should be validated in the OSPI directory for the current year).
  • Sequim area: Sequim High School; Sequim Middle School; elementary schools include Helen Haller, Greywolf, and Camino Real (directory-confirmed).
  • Forks area (Quillayute Valley): Forks High School; Forks Middle School; Forks Elementary.
  • Other districts: Crescent School (K–12); Clallam Bay School (K–12); Neah Bay School (Cape Flattery); Clallam Bay and Neah Bay also operate small-district configurations typical of remote areas.

Because Washington reports schools by district and building rather than county aggregates, the exact number of public schools is best taken from the OSPI directory’s county filter for the current school year.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

  • Student–teacher ratios: The most comparable county-level proxy is the ACS ratio of students enrolled in school to teachers is not published directly at county level in a standardized way across all districts. District-level staffing ratios and enrollment counts are published in OSPI district reports and can be retrieved via Washington School Report Card pages for each district. Across Washington, student–teacher ratios typically fall in the mid-to-high teens; small rural schools may show lower ratios while larger schools often show higher ratios.
  • Graduation rates: Washington reports 4-year cohort graduation rates by district and school through the School Report Card. Countywide graduation rates are not always provided as a single official roll-up; the most recent district and high-school rates for Clallam County high schools are available on the OSPI Report Card (select district/school, then Graduation).

Adult education levels (countywide)

From the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates for Clallam County (most recent release available on data.census.gov, typically the latest 5-year period):

  • High school diploma (or higher), age 25+: roughly in the high-80% to low-90% range (county estimate varies slightly by ACS period).
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher, age 25+: generally around the low-20% range (below the Washington statewide share, which is substantially higher). These figures reflect a workforce weighted toward trades, services, public sector, and health support roles, alongside an older age structure.

Notable programs (STEM, CTE/vocational, AP, dual credit)

Program availability is district- and building-specific, with common offerings documented through district course catalogs and OSPI program reporting:

  • Career and Technical Education (CTE): Washington districts typically offer CTE pathways aligned to regional labor needs (construction trades, maritime/logistics, health careers, business/IT, and skilled trades). District-specific CTE course lists and completer information are tracked by OSPI and district reporting.
  • Dual credit: Many county high schools participate in Washington dual-credit frameworks (Running Start, College in the High School, and CTE Dual Credit), with details listed by district and local partner colleges.
  • Advanced Placement (AP): AP course availability varies by high school; AP participation and exam offerings are commonly listed in high school course guides and can be reflected in OSPI report card indicators where available.
  • Higher education and workforce training: Peninsula College (main campus in Port Angeles) is a central provider of academic transfer, professional/technical programs, and workforce training relevant to local employers; see Peninsula College for current program catalogs.

School safety measures and counseling resources

Washington public schools operate under state requirements for safety planning and student support:

  • Safety planning: Districts maintain emergency operations and safety plans, including coordination with local law enforcement and required drills (state framework and guidance are summarized by OSPI under school safety resources; see OSPI School Safety Center).
  • Student well-being supports: School counseling, psychologist, and social work services vary by district staffing and building size; state guidance on comprehensive school counseling and behavioral health supports is provided through OSPI and partner agencies. County-level counts of counselors per student are not consistently published as a single statistic; staffing levels are typically available in district staffing reports and collective bargaining summaries.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year available)

Clallam County’s unemployment rate is published monthly and annually by the Washington Employment Security Department and BLS local area statistics:

  • The most recent annual average and current monthly rates are available through ESD labor force data and BLS LAUS tables (Local Area Unemployment Statistics).
  • As a general pattern, Clallam County’s unemployment tends to run above the Washington statewide average, reflecting seasonality in tourism and rural labor markets; the definitive current value should be taken from ESD’s latest county release.

Major industries and employment sectors

Using ACS and state labor market profiles as the primary descriptive sources (industry-of-employment tables on data.census.gov and ESD county profiles), the county’s employment base is typically concentrated in:

  • Health care and social assistance (hospital, clinics, long-term care, social services)
  • Retail trade and accommodation/food services (tourism and local-serving commerce)
  • Educational services (K–12 and postsecondary)
  • Public administration (local government; proximity to federal lands also supports related activity)
  • Construction (residential and infrastructure-related)
  • Manufacturing and transportation/warehousing (smaller shares than metro counties, but present)
  • Arts, entertainment, recreation and other services tied to tourism and retirement-community demand

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

ACS occupation groupings for Clallam County typically show larger shares in:

  • Service occupations (food service, personal care, protective services)
  • Office and administrative support
  • Sales
  • Healthcare practitioners and healthcare support
  • Construction and extraction, installation/maintenance/repair
  • Transportation and material moving Professional and managerial occupations are present but generally at a lower share than Washington’s metro counties.

(County occupation shares are available via ACS occupation tables on data.census.gov.)

Commuting patterns and mean commute times

ACS commuting tables provide the most consistent countywide indicators:

  • Mean one-way commute time: Clallam County’s mean commute is typically in the mid-20-minute range (varies by ACS period), reflecting a mix of in-town commutes (Port Angeles/Sequim) and longer rural travel.
  • Mode share: A majority of workers commute by driving alone, with smaller shares carpooling, working from home, or using other modes; public transit commuting exists but is a minor share compared with urban counties.

These measures are published in ACS “commuting characteristics” tables on data.census.gov.

Local employment vs. out-of-county work

ACS “place of work” and “commuting flows” style tables indicate that:

  • A substantial majority of Clallam County residents work within the county, anchored by Port Angeles/Sequim employment nodes and local services.
  • A smaller share commutes out of county (including to Jefferson County and, less commonly, to the central Puget Sound region via longer ferry/drive chains). Because of geographic separation from Seattle-Tacoma labor markets, out-commuting is typically lower than in suburban counties. For definitive percentages, ACS county tables on workplace geography provide the most recent estimates via data.census.gov.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

ACS housing tenure estimates for Clallam County show:

  • Homeownership: generally around 70% of occupied units (higher than Washington overall).
  • Renting: generally around 30%. These are best taken from the latest ACS 5-year “tenure” tables on data.census.gov.

Median property values and recent trends

  • Median owner-occupied home value: ACS median values place Clallam County below the Washington statewide median but still elevated relative to pre-2020 levels due to pandemic-era price increases and continued constrained supply.
  • Trend: Recent years showed rapid appreciation across the Olympic Peninsula, followed by a period of slower growth as mortgage rates rose; county-specific trend lines are typically best verified using a combination of ACS (benchmark median) and market reports (repeat-sales and listing-based metrics). ACS remains the standard public reference for a consistent median value series via data.census.gov.

Typical rent prices

ACS gross rent medians provide the most consistent countywide measure:

  • Median gross rent: typically below Washington’s metro-area medians but increased notably in the 2020s, reflecting limited rental inventory and demand from in-migration. The most recent median gross rent is available in ACS rent tables on data.census.gov.

Types of housing

Clallam County’s housing stock is characterized by:

  • A large share of single-family detached homes, especially in Port Angeles/Sequim suburban and rural areas.
  • Manufactured homes and small-lot rural housing are more common than in dense urban counties.
  • Apartments and multi-family units are concentrated in Port Angeles and parts of Sequim, with more limited supply in smaller communities.
  • Rural areas include larger lots, septic/well-served properties, and homes proximate to forest/agricultural land.

ACS “units in structure” tables provide the county’s distribution across single-family, multi-unit, and manufactured housing on data.census.gov.

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools or amenities)

  • Port Angeles: largest cluster of schools, medical facilities (including the main hospital/clinic systems), civic services, and retail; neighborhoods nearer the city core generally have shorter travel times to schools and services, while outlying areas trade proximity for larger lots.
  • Sequim: schools and amenities are relatively centralized, with many residential areas oriented around the Highway 101 corridor and local commercial nodes; the area is known for a high share of older residents.
  • Forks and west-end communities: more remote, with fewer amenities and longer travel distances; school campuses often function as key community hubs. These characteristics reflect settlement patterns; no single official county metric consolidates “proximity to schools,” so descriptions rely on the geography of the main towns and district footprints.

Property tax overview (rate and typical cost)

Property taxes in Washington are levied by overlapping taxing districts (county, cities, schools, fire, ports, and others), so effective rates vary by location within Clallam County.

  • Effective property tax rate (proxy): Washington counties commonly fall near ~0.8% to ~1.2% of assessed value as a broad range; Clallam County varies within that band by taxing district mix.
  • Typical homeowner cost: The county treasurer provides tax statement detail by parcel; average bills are not always published as a single countywide figure because bills depend on assessed value and location-specific levies. The most authoritative local source is the Clallam County Treasurer and assessor information pages (parcel-specific levies, assessed values, and taxing district rates). For statewide context on levy limits and property tax structure, the Washington Department of Revenue provides summaries at Washington Department of Revenue.

Data limitations noted: Countywide counts of public schools, student–teacher ratios, and graduation rates are reported most reliably at the district/school level through OSPI rather than as a single county aggregate; unemployment and labor force metrics are definitive via ESD/BLS; housing tenure, value, rent, commuting, and education attainment are definitive via ACS 5-year county tables, which are the standard public source for small-area estimates.

Table of Contents

Other Counties in Washington