Economy, Fiscal Research, and Population Frequently-Asked Questions
Washington Economy
Where can I find the current rate of inflation?
The two most common indexes of inflation are the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the U.S. Implicit Price Deflator for Personal Consumption (IPD). Values of these indexes are published by the Office of the Forecast Council in the quarterly economic and revenue forecast publication, which contain the following tables:
- Table A4.1 Selected Inflation Indicators (Price Deflator, U.S. CPI, Seattle CPI)
- Table A4.2 Chain-weighted price indices
Additional information concerning inflation is available on the OFM website. A comprehensive discussion of the Consumer Price Index is available at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) website.
How much do people in Washington earn? What is the average wage? What is the median household income?
The average wage for Washington workers in 2008, was $47,202. The trend in average wage for Washington compared with that of the U.S. overall is shown in chart in Washington Trends. A table showing average wage for Washington and U.S. workers is contained in the Washington State Data Book.
Information about other income items for all states is available at the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis website.
The estimated median money income for Washington households in 2010 was $54,888. A table showing Median Household Income by County for 1989 to 2010 with a projection for 2011 is available on this website.
Poverty
How many Washington residents live in poverty?
In 1999, approximately 10.6 percent of Washington residents lived below the poverty level, down from 10.9 percent in 1989. For further information, see the U.S. Bureau of the Census website.
Results of the 2008 State Population Survey indicate that 17.7 percent of Washington State residents family incomes under 100 percent FPL in 2008.
Poverty rates by age group for Washington for 1969, 1979, 1989, and 1999 are shown in a table from Washington Trends.
State Government
How many state employees are there?
In fiscal year 2009, there were 112,546 FTEs on an annual basis, with the largest number of people employed in transportation, higher education institutions, correctional facilities, and state social service and health agencies. The number of state employees is typically measured in terms of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff years; one person working 40 hours a week for a full year would be counted as one FTE staff year. (Two people working half-time also count as one FTE.) Although the state provides funding for compensation for local school teachers, this support is in the form of grants so K-12 teachers are not considered state employees in FTE statistics.
How many more employees are there now vs. 20 years ago?
There were approximately 35,397 more FTE state employees in 2009 than in 1989. Population growth has generally been a major driver of growth in state government employment. The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) state employees has generally tracked closely with growth in the state's total population.
State Government FTEs Compared to Population are plotted in a chart in Washington Trends.
Health Care
How many Washington residents are not covered by health insurance?
Data from the 2010 Washington State Population Survey show that approximately one out of every eight Washingtonians was without health coverage. You may link to the complete research brief on this subject.
Population
How many people live in Washington?
As of April 1, 2011, 6,767,900 persons resided in Washington. OFM develops official April 1 population estimates for the state, counties, and cities and towns each year.
Additional population information is available in the Population section of this website.
Where can I find the population of a city or town in Washington?
OFM develops population estimates for incorporated cities and towns in Washington each year. These estimates are released on July 1 on the OFM website. The most up-to-data estimates are always available on the Official April 1 Population Estimates page. City and town populations are also published in Population Trends, which is updated annually in September.
Census 2010
Where can I get information about Washington from Census 2010?
Decennial census information for Washington is available at the OFM Census 2010 website and through the U.S. Census Bureau website.
How can I find Census 2010 information for my location?
To find census information for any location in the country, simply enter the street address in American FactFinder.
Last updated: June 30, 2011
E-mail: OFM.Forecasting@ofm.wa.gov
