All 39 Washington Counties

County seat: Ritzville

Adams County spreads across the dry Columbia Basin east of the Saddle Mountains. Dryland wheat, potatoes and food processing anchor the economy, with Ritzville as the county seat and Othello the largest city.

County seat: Asotin

Asotin County sits in the far southeast corner of Washington where the Snake River meets the Idaho border. Clarkston is the commercial center, and Hells Canyon and the Snake River recreation corridor draw boaters and anglers.

County seat: Prosser

Benton County is one of the three counties that make up the Tri-Cities, with Kennewick as its largest city and Prosser as the county seat. Irrigation from the Yakima and Columbia rivers supports wine grapes, orchards and a growing technology sector.

County seat: Wenatchee

Chelan County stretches from the Wenatchee Valley up into the North Cascades and along Lake Chelan. Wenatchee markets itself as the Apple Capital of the World, and orchards, hydropower and recreation support the county economy.

County seat: Port Angeles

Clallam County covers the northern Olympic Peninsula, including Port Angeles, Sequim and the Olympic National Park coast. Timber gave way to health care, tourism and the Sequim lavender and retirement economy.

County seat: Vancouver

Clark County is Washington's fifth-most-populous county and the Portland metro's northern half. Vancouver's waterfront redevelopment, Camas paper history and Battle Ground's growth define a county that mixes industry, logistics and suburban neighborhoods.

County seat: Dayton

Columbia County is one of Washington's smallest counties, set in the rolling Palouse-like hills of the southeast. Dayton, the county seat, retains one of the state's best-preserved historic downtowns, surrounded by wheat and wine country.

County seat: Kelso

Cowlitz County sits where the Cowlitz River meets the Columbia, midway between Portland and Mount St. Helens. Longview and Kelso form the population center, with timber, mills, river shipping and the volcano's tourism economy.

County seat: Waterville

Douglas County lies on the east side of the Columbia from Wenatchee, rising from orchards along the river to dry wheat plateau country. Waterville, the county seat, sits on the plateau above the river valley.

County seat: Republic

Ferry County is a sparsely populated, mountainous county in northeast Washington, home to the Colville National Forest, Curlew Lake and the old mining town of Republic. Recreation and forest products drive the local economy.

County seat: Pasco

Franklin County is the eastern third of the Tri-Cities, centered on Pasco at the confluence of the Snake, Columbia and Yakima rivers. Agriculture, food processing and rail and truck logistics dominate the economy.

County seat: Pomeroy

Garfield County is Washington's least-populous county, set in the wheat-growing hills of the southeast. Pomeroy, the only incorporated town, keeps a classic agricultural main street.

County seat: Ephrata

Grant County covers a huge swath of the Columbia Basin, where Grand Coulee and Columbia Basin Project irrigation turned sagebrush into some of the state's most productive farmland. Moses Lake is the largest city and Ephrata the county seat.

County seat: Montesano

Grays Harbor County wraps a large coastal estuary on the central Washington coast. Aberdeen and Hoquiam grew on timber, Ocean Shores and Westport on beach tourism and charter fishing, and Montesano is the county seat.

County seat: Coupeville

Island County covers Whidbey and Camano islands in Puget Sound. Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, tourism, farming and commuters connected by ferry and bridge shape a county of small towns and waterfront.

County seat: Port Townsend

Jefferson County covers the northeast corner of the Olympic Peninsula and stretches west into Olympic National Park. Port Townsend's Victorian waterfront, boatbuilding and arts scene anchor a county of farms, forests and coastline.

County seat: Seattle

King County is Washington's largest county by population and its economic engine, home to Seattle, Bellevue and the Eastside technology corridor. Aerospace, software, biotech, maritime trade and international tourism converge on Puget Sound here.

County seat: Port Orchard

Kitsap County occupies the Kitsap Peninsula between Puget Sound and Hood Canal. Naval Base Kitsap, shipyards and ferry commuting shape its economy, with Bremerton as the largest city and Port Orchard the county seat.

County seat: Ellensburg

Kittitas County straddles the Cascades east of Snoqualmie Pass, mixing ranch country, the Yakima River, Central Washington University and growing recreation towns. Ellensburg is the county seat and Cle Elum the gateway to the mountains.

County seat: Goldendale

Klickitat County runs along the north bank of the Columbia River in south-central Washington, from the Columbia Gorge to dry plateau and timber. Goldendale is the county seat; White Salmon and Bingen serve the gorge.

County seat: Chehalis

Lewis County lies between the Cascades and the coast on the Interstate 5 corridor. Chehalis and Centralia form the population center, with timber, dairy, distribution and Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier gateway tourism.

County seat: Davenport

Lincoln County sits west of Spokane on the wheat-growing Columbia Plateau, cut by the deep channeled scablands and lakes. Davenport is the county seat and the largest town.

County seat: Shelton

Mason County covers the southwest side of Puget Sound and Hood Canal, including Shelton and the timber towns along US 101. Shellfish farming, logging and recreation on Hood Canal and Lake Cushman support the economy.

County seat: Okanogan

Okanogan County is Washington's largest county by area, spanning from the North Cascades to the Okanogan Highlands and the Methow Valley. Orchards, ranching, recreation and tourism define a county of wide valleys and small towns.

County seat: South Bend

Pacific County covers the southwest Washington coast at the mouth of the Columbia, including Long Beach, Ilwaco and South Bend. Fishing, cranberry and oyster farming, and beach tourism drive the local economy.

County seat: Newport

Pend Oreille County sits in Washington's far northeast corner along the Pend Oreille River and the Selkirk Mountains. Newport is the county seat, and lakes, forest and the Kalispel reservation shape the area.

County seat: Tacoma

Pierce County stretches from Tacoma and the Puget Sound shoreline east to Mount Rainier. It is Washington's second-most-populous county, with a port, military bases, healthcare and a large outdoor recreation economy.

County seat: Friday Harbor

San Juan County is an archipelago of ferry-served islands between Washington and British Columbia. Friday Harbor on San Juan Island is the county seat, and tourism, boating, farming and whale watching define the islands.

County seat: Mount Vernon

Skagit County stretches from the Skagit Valley tulip fields to the North Cascades. Mount Vernon is the county seat, Burlington is the retail hub, and Anacortes holds a major refinery and ferry terminal.

County seat: Stevenson

Skamania County is the Columbia River Gorge county east of Vancouver, home to Stevenson, North Bonneville and the western approach to Mount Adams. Recreation, hydropower and forestry dominate the economy.

County seat: Everett

Snohomish County lies north of King County between Puget Sound and the Cascades. Everett's port and aerospace plants, Boeing's widebody assembly and fast-growing suburban cities define one of the state's fastest-changing counties.

County seat: Spokane

Spokane County is the population and economic center of eastern Washington, anchored by the city of Spokane and its suburbs. Healthcare, education, logistics, and a growing aerospace and technology base support the region.

County seat: Colville

Stevens County covers the forested northeast corner of Washington, from Colville and the Colville National Forest to Lake Roosevelt. Timber, recreation and agriculture support small towns across a large rural county.

County seat: Olympia

Thurston County holds Olympia, Washington's capital, along with Lacey and Tumwater at the southern end of Puget Sound. Government, healthcare, education and a growing logistics sector drive a county of close-in suburbs and farmland.

County seat: Cathlamet

Wahkiakum County is Washington's second-least-populous county, set on the lower Columbia River. Cathlamet is the county seat, and fishing, timber and a small ferry to Oregon define the area.

County seat: Walla Walla

Walla Walla County sits in the fertile southeast corner of Washington, known for sweet onions, wheat and a nationally recognized wine industry. The city of Walla Walla anchors a county of vineyards and small farm towns.

County seat: Bellingham

Whatcom County fills Washington's northwest corner between Puget Sound and the Canadian border. Bellingham is the population center, with a university, an active port, refining, agriculture and access to Mount Baker.

County seat: Colfax

Whitman County is Washington's premier wheat county, in the rolling Palouse hills south of Spokane. Pullman, home to Washington State University, is the largest city, while Colfax is the county seat.

County seat: Yakima

Yakima County is the heart of Washington's agricultural valley, producing apples, hops, grapes, cherries and more under irrigation from the Yakima River. Yakima is the county seat and commercial center.