Central Washington
Encyclopedia
Central Washington is a region of the United States defined as the western half of Eastern Washington
, or those counties lying east of the Cascade Mountains but west of the 119th meridian west
.
The estimated population as of 2004 was 672,065 or about 10% of Washington's total population.
Central Washington is also further divided into North Central and South Central. Washington State Department of Transportation uses these groupings as part of their district office divisions.
Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington is the portion of the U.S. state of Washington east of the Cascade Range. The region contains the city of Spokane , the Tri-Cities, the Columbia River and the Grand Coulee Dam, the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and the fertile farmlands of the Yakima Valley and the...
, or those counties lying east of the Cascade Mountains but west of the 119th meridian west
119th meridian west
The meridian 119° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, North America, the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
.
The estimated population as of 2004 was 672,065 or about 10% of Washington's total population.
Central Washington is also further divided into North Central and South Central. Washington State Department of Transportation uses these groupings as part of their district office divisions.
- North Central Washington, or NCW, is defined by the Washington State Department of Transportation as including the counties of Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan Counties. This designation is mirrored by use of the NCW region by local media. Wenatchee is the largest city in this region.
- South Central Washington includes Benton, Kititias, Klickitat, and Yakima Counties, in addition to all counties south of the Snake River, in the Department of Transportation use of the term. Yakima is the largest city in this region, Yakima and the Tri-Cities are the largest metro areas of this region.
Counties
Central Washington is made up of the following counties:- BentonBenton County, WashingtonBenton County is a county located in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Washington. The Columbia River makes up the north, south, and east boundaries of the county. In 2010, its population was 175,177. The county seat is Prosser, and its largest city is Kennewick...
- Chelan
- Douglas
- Grant
- Kittitas
- Klickitat
- Okanogan
- YakimaYakima County, WashingtonYakima County is the second largest county by area in the U.S. state of Washington. It is named after the Yakama tribe of Native Americans. In the 2010 census, its population was 243,231...
Cities of note
- ChelanChelan, WashingtonChelan is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,890 at the 2010 census. It sits on the southeast tip of Lake Chelan, where the lake flows into the Chelan River....
- East WentacheeEast Wenatchee, WashingtonEast Wenatchee is a city in Douglas County, Washington, United States along the northern banks of the Columbia River. The population at the 2010 census was 13,190, a 129.1% increase over the 2000 census....
- EllensburgEllensburg, WashingtonEllensburg is a city in, and the county seat of, Kittitas County, Washington, United States. The population was 18,174 at the 2010 census. The population was 18,250 at 2011 Estimate from Office of Financial Management. Ellensburg is located just east of the Cascade Range on I-90 and is known as the...
- EphrataEphrata, WashingtonEphrata is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 6,808 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Grant County.-History:...
- Moses LakeMoses Lake, WashingtonMoses Lake is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 20,366 as of the 2010 census. Moses Lake is the largest city in Grant County.-Background:...
- OmakOmak, WashingtonOmak is the largest city in Okanogan County, Washington, United States. The population was 4,721 at the 2010 census. It is just south of the Canadian border where more populated cities are located ....
- Tri-CitiesTri-Cities, WashingtonThe Tri-Cities is a mid-sized metropolitan area in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, consisting of three neighboring cities: Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland. The cities are located at the confluence of the Yakima, Snake, and Columbia rivers in the semi-arid region of...
- Which consists of KennewickKennewick, WashingtonKennewick is a city in Benton County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, near the Hanford nuclear site. It is the most populous of the three cities collectively referred to as the Tri-Cities...
, RichlandRichland, WashingtonRichland is a city in Benton County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, at the confluence of the Yakima and the Columbia Rivers. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 48,058. April 1, 2011 estimates from the Washington State Office of Financial Management put the...
, and PascoPasco, WashingtonPasco is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Washington, United States.Pasco is one of three cities that make up the Tri-Cities region of the state of Washington... - WenatcheeWenatchee, WashingtonWenatchee is located in North Central Washington and is the largest city and county seat of Chelan County, Washington, United States. The population within the city limits in 2010 was 31,925...
- YakimaYakima, WashingtonYakima is an American city southeast of Mount Rainier National Park and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the eighth largest city by population in the state itself. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 91,196 and a metropolitan population of...
Colleges and universities
- Central Washington UniversityCentral Washington UniversityCentral Washington University, often abbreviated CWU, is a public university in Ellensburg, Washington in the United States.This location was selected by the state legislature as a consolation prize after Ellensburg lost its bid to be state capital...
in EllensburgEllensburg, WashingtonEllensburg is a city in, and the county seat of, Kittitas County, Washington, United States. The population was 18,174 at the 2010 census. The population was 18,250 at 2011 Estimate from Office of Financial Management. Ellensburg is located just east of the Cascade Range on I-90 and is known as the... - Washington State University Tri-Cities in RichlandRichland, WashingtonRichland is a city in Benton County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, at the confluence of the Yakima and the Columbia Rivers. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 48,058. April 1, 2011 estimates from the Washington State Office of Financial Management put the...
- Heritage UniversityHeritage UniversityHeritage University, located in Toppenish, Washington on the Yakama Indian Reservation, offers associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees in a number of academic disciplines, including:*English*business administration*mathematics*computer science...
in ToppenishToppenish, WashingtonToppenish is a city in Yakima County, Washington, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,949.-History:The General Allotment Act of 1887 granted an allotment of land to a woman of half Indian ancestry, Josephine Bowser Lillie, known as "The Mother of Toppenish"... - Columbia Basin CollegeColumbia Basin CollegeColumbia Basin College is a community college based in Pasco, Washington. The College offers many associate degrees and one baccalaureate business degree in applied management....
in PascoPasco, WashingtonPasco is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Washington, United States.Pasco is one of three cities that make up the Tri-Cities region of the state of Washington... - Wenatchee Valley CollegeWenatchee Valley CollegeWenatchee Valley College, or WVC, is a two-year Community College located in Wenatchee, Washington. The college provides students with adult education classes, certifications, and 2-year Associates Degree. WVC's primary service district is one of the largest in the state, serving an area larger...
in WenatcheeWenatchee, WashingtonWenatchee is located in North Central Washington and is the largest city and county seat of Chelan County, Washington, United States. The population within the city limits in 2010 was 31,925... - Big Bend Community CollegeBig Bend Community CollegeBig Bend Community College is a two-year college in Moses Lake, Washington. It offers several associate's degrees in academic and vocational fields.- History :...
in Moses LakeMoses Lake, WashingtonMoses Lake is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 20,366 as of the 2010 census. Moses Lake is the largest city in Grant County.-Background:... - Yakima Valley Community CollegeYakima Valley Community CollegeYakima Valley Community College is one of the oldest community colleges in Washington, having been founded in 1928.-Overview:YVCC serves over 10,000 students a year through two campuses located in Yakima and Grandview, as well as learning centers located in Ellensburg, Toppenish, and Goldendale...
in YakimaYakima, WashingtonYakima is an American city southeast of Mount Rainier National Park and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the eighth largest city by population in the state itself. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 91,196 and a metropolitan population of...
Notable mountain ranges
- Cascade RangeCascade RangeThe Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
- Chiwaukum MountainsChiwaukum MountainsThe Chiwaukum Mountains are a north-south mountain range in central Washington, USA. They stretch from Snowgrass Mountain at , to .The mountains are made of schist, part of the Nason terrane. The original rock in the Nason terrane was laid down 210 Myr ago...
- Stuart RangeStuart RangeThe Stuart Range is a mountain range in central Washington, USA. The range lies within the eastern extent of the Cascade Range immediately southwest of Leavenworth and runs east-west. The western peaks make up a single sharp ridge. The eastern half of the range splits into two parallel ridges,...
- Wenatchee MountainsWenatchee MountainsThe Wenatchee Mountains are a range of mountains in central Washington State, United States of America. A major subrange of the Cascade Range, extending east from the Cascade crest, the Wenatchee Mountains separate the drainage basins of the Yakima River from the Wenatchee River...