1950 Census: Population of Seattle tops 465,000 and that of King County tops 730,000 in 1950.

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In 1950, the U.S. Census Bureau counted 732,992 persons in King County. World War II and the beginning of the baby boom added 228,012 people to the county’s population, the largest increase since the county was created. Such an increase in one decade would not occur again until the decade of the 1980s. The population of Seattle was 467,591. This file lists the populations of the largest counties and cities in Washington, of the largest towns in King County, and of all incorporated and unincorporated towns in King County.

In 1950, the largest of the 39 counties in Washington state were:

King 732,992
Pierce 275,876
Spokane 221,561
Yakima 135,723
Snohomish 111,580
Clark 85,307
Kitsap 75,724
Whatcom 66,733
Grays Harbor 53,644
Cowlitz 53,369

In 1950, the largest incorporated towns in Washington were:

Seattle 467,591
Spokane 161,721
Tacoma 143,673
Vancouver 41,664
Yakima 38,486
Bellingham 34,112
Everett 33,849
Bremerton 27,678
Walla Walla 24,102
Longview 20,339

In 1950, the largest incorporated towns in King County were:

Seattle 467,591
Renton 16,039
Auburn 6,497
Kirkland 4,713
Kent 3,278
Enumclaw 2,789
Bothell 1,019
Houghton 1,005
Issaquah 955
Snoqualmie 806

In 1950, incorporated and unincorporated town populations in King County (listed alphabetically) were:

Auburn 6,497
Bellevue (uninc.) (Trct. KC-67) 1,548
Bothell 1,019
Clyde Hill (uninc.) (See Medina)
Des Moines (uninc.) (Trct. KC-33) 586
Duvall 236
Enumclaw 2,789
Houghton 1,005
Hunts Point (uninc.) (See Medina)
Issaquah 955
Kent 3,278
Kirkland 4,713
McMicken Heights (uninc.) 2,550
Medina, Clyde Hill, Hunts Point, Yarrow Point (all uninc.) (Trct. KC-66) 5,112 total
Normandy Park (uninc.) (Trct. KC-34) 332
North Bend 787
Pacific 755
Redmond 573
Renton 16,039
Seattle 467,591
Skykomish 497
Snoqualmie 806
Tolt (Carnation) 446
Tukwila 800
Yarrow Point (uninc.) (See Medina)

Sources:
Population Abstract of the United States ed. by John L. Andriot (McLean, Virginia: Andriot Associates, 1983), 841, 844; U.S. Bureau of Census, Department of Commerce, Census of Population: 1950. Vol. II, Characteristics of the Population Part 47 Washington (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1952), 47-9, 47-11, 47-14, 47-15; U.S. Bureau of Census, Department of Commerce, Census of Population: 1950, Census Tract Statistics Seattle Washington and Adjacent Area Bulletin P-D51 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1952), 13, 15.

By Greg Lange, January 01, 2000

Howdy from Seattle, 1950s
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Corner of 4th Avenue and Union Street, Seattle, 1950s
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Issaquah Labor Day Fair, ca. 1950
Courtesy Robert Peterson

Smith Tower (Gaggin and Gaggin, 1914), Seattle, 1950s
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Seattle waterfront, 1950s
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