Largest Cities

Overview | All cities | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

Size – Largest
Property value – Moderate
Commercial activity – Moderate
Growth – Low to moderate
Geography – Mostly west

Cluster characteristics
Population
Economic characteristics
Other community characteristics

Fiscal conditions
Major revenue base
General financial outlook

Bellevue, Everett, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver

As Washington’s largest population and job centers, these cities draw people and business activity from around the world. But with the recession, all these cities have seen their economies decline and found it harder to meet needs. To address these challenges, these cities have been forced to reopen their 2009 budgets, and half have laid off employees. To balance budgets, these cities have cut funding across the board, with significant cuts to infrastructure spending and general government.

All data is recorded as median value for all cities in the cluster.

Data for individual cities may vary significantly in some categories.

Cluster Characteristics

Population

Average population size:

Year 1990 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Pop. 131,768 168,558 169,900 171,850 173,500 174,850 176,450 178,100 181,250 182,550 183,950

Population density, 2009: 3,596 persons per square mile
Population growth rate, 2000-2009: 8.3%

Economic characteristics

Median household income (1999): $43,324
Poverty rate (1999): 12%
Major local employers by industry (1999):

Major local employers % of cities in cluster
(w/ industry as 1 of 3 top employers)

Retail trade 100%

Manufacturing 83%

Health care and social services 83%

Other Community Characteristics

Date of incorporation: 1878
GMA-planning cities: 100%
Number of housing units:

2000 2009 Growth
2000-2009

70,571 78,161 11.2%

Fiscal Conditions

Major Revenue Base

Per capita assessed value, 2008: $123,048
Per capita sales & use tax revenue, 2008: $221
Decline in sales & use tax distributions, October 2007 - May 2009: 25%

General Financial Outlook

Change in local economic conditions since June 2008:

(% of respondents)

Improved 0%

Stayed about the same 0%

Worsened 100%

Ability to meet financial needs:

(% of respondents)

Less able Same Better able

This year (FY 2009) compared with four years ago 100% 0% 0%

Next year compared with this year 100% 0% 0%

Four years from now compared with this year 75% 25% 0%

Steps taken to balance the budget:

(% of respondents)

Adopted with 2009 budget Imposed after 2009 budget was adopted Not as of survey date

Staffing changes

Froze hiring (city is not replacing employees when they leave/retiree) 17% 17% 67%

Decreased the number of hours/days worked or imposed furloughs 0% 33% 67%

Offered voluntary leave without pay 0% 17% 83%

Laid off employees 17% 33% 50%

Compensation/benefit changes

Eliminated salary increases for employees 17% 17% 67%

Delayed or reduced salary increases for employees 17% 0% 83%

Reduced spending on some employee benefits (i.e. deferred compensation, health care) 17% 0% 83%

Eliminated some employee benefits (i.e. deferred compensation, health care) 0% 0% 100%

Required increased employee contributions for employee/family health care 17% 0% 83%

Cities reopening budget or decreasing expenditures in response to reduced revenues:

Have taken these steps 100%

Had not but considered likely 0%

Had not and did not consider likely 0%

Actions cities are taking to balance budgets for remainder of 2009 (shows responses only from cities planning to amend budgeted expenditures):

Significant increase Slight increase Maintain Slight decrease Significant decrease Not authorized in your city

Infrastructure spending 0% 0% 0% 25% 75% 0%

Public safety spending 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0%

General government spending 0% 0% 0% 25% 75% 0%

Scope of services 0% 0% 25% 75% 0% 0%

Size of workforce 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0%

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Cluster 14