By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

New data from the Puget Sound Regional Council show our four-county region (King, Snohomish, Pierce, and Kitsap counties) has added more than 464,000 jobs since 2010. That works out to over 2.75 jobs for every housing unit constructed during this period.

The Builder's Bulletin is intended to provide a convenient way to track housing in our market and includes information from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, State of the Cities Data Systems, Office of Financial Management and the Washington State Employment Security Department.

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Contact: data@mbaks.com

Puget Sound Population Surge Led by Seattle, King County

As of April 1, 2025, the Puget Sound region reached a population of 4,534,300, growing by 50,400 people over the past year. This growth was led overwhelmingly by King County, which added 33,600 residents—accounting for two-thirds of the region's total increase. Seattle alone contributed nearly 19,000 new residents, surpassing 816,000 and outpacing the combined growth of Snohomish and Pierce counties. While Snohomish (+6,700) and Pierce (+7,300) counties saw steady, modest increases, growth in transit-connected suburbs like Shoreline and Redmond stood out. Kitsap County grew by 2,800, maintaining its trend of stable, moderate expansion. Overall, the region’s growth reflects continued urban and transit-oriented population shifts, even as statewide growth slows compared to previous years.

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By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

The latest Builders Bulletin shows year-to-date permit activity through April fell 18% for single-family homes and 37% for multifamily homes in King County compared to the same period last year. Single-family permits were up 6% and multifamily permits up 60% in Snohomish County. Pierce County saw a 5% drop in multifamily permits and a 21% increase in single-family permits. Meanwhile, the May jobs report shows construction employment increased by 30,000 between April and May, reflecting a gain from the previous month’s significant job losses due to the construction shutdown.

The Builder's Bulletin is intended to provide a convenient way to track housing in our market and includes information from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, State of the Cities Data Systems, Office of Financial Management, and the Washington State Employment Security Department.

Download this month's report: