Kirkland Older, More Diverse, New Census Data Show

Census data released yesterday for 2010 show Kirkland’s population as a whole has grown older in the last 10 years, and it has become more diverse – the same trends seen for King County and Washington state.

Likely the manifestation of increasing age of the “Baby Boom” generation, the median age of Kirkland residents grew from 36.1 years as measured in the 2000 federal Census to 37.5 in 2010.

Although the percent of the population older than 21 grew just slightly, from 78.2 in 2000 to 78.3 in 2010, the percent of those 62 or older grew from 12.1 percent to 14.1 percent.

The median age by gender also reflected the trend: 35.1 for males and 37.2 for females in 2000 vs. 36.2 and 38.8 respectively in 2010.

As Kirkland Patch reported previously, initial 2010 data released in February by the U.S Census Bureau showed Kirkland’s population growing 8.3 percent from 2000 to 2010, from 45,054 to 48,787. Those data also showed the state’s total population at 6,724,540, up 14.1 percent from 5,894,212 in 2000.

The newly released data also reveal greater detail in terms of race. For instance, showing marked gains in Kirkland from 2000 to 2010 were people of “Hispanic or Latino” ethnicity and those of Asian Indian ethnicity.

Those of Hispanic or Latino race grew from 4.1 percent of the city’s population (1,852 people) in 2000 to 6.3 percent (3,085 people) in 2010. Asian Indian residents more than doubled, from 1.1 percent in 2000 (506) to 2.6 percent (1,269).

The total population of those claiming Asian ethnicity grew markedly, from 7.8 percent in 2000 (3,512 people) to 11.3 percent in 2010 (5,490).

At the same time, while the data show Kirkland’s population increasingly diverse, it remains overwhelmingly white: 85.3 percent in 2000 (38,420 people) vs. 79.3 percent in 2010 (38,692).

The new data also break down the character of households (spouses, children, relatives, non-relatives) and the type of households (families, non-families, solitary residents, etc.).  They show the average family size in Kirkland increasing slightly from 2000 to 2010 – 2.8 to 2.83 people.

Statewide, the new census data show Washington also getting a bit older in the past 10 years, with women continuing to live longer than men.

Households stayed about the same size or shrank slightly, but Washington residents had a smaller proportion of children in their homes and a larger proportion of other relatives living with them. The state’s racial makeup changed as well, with the Indian and Mexican populations growing significantly statewide.

Here’s a look at the numbers:

•In Washington state, the median age was 37.3 in 2010, up from 35.3 in 2000.

•The percentage of males to females was the same, 49.8 percent to 50.2 percent.

•The median age for males was 36.2 and 38.3 for females last year, up from 34.4 for males and 36.3 for females in 2000.

•The average household size was 2.51 people, nearly flat from 2.53 in 2000.

•The average family size was 3.06, about the same as 3.07 in 2000.

But looking at households, families made up 64.4 percent in 2010, down from 66 percent 10 years ago.

And of those family households, those with their own children under 18 dropped from 32.7 percent to 29.1 percent.

At the same time, the proportion of other relatives living in households jumped considerably. In 2000, the Census counted 236,631 "other relatives" living in all households, or 4 percent of the population. Ten years later, that grew to 349,380, or 5.2 percent -- a 30 percent jump in the proportion.

Our age groups have shifted, too. Children made up smaller percentages of the population in all age groups for the state. For example:

•The percentage of preschoolers shrank slightly, from 6.7 percent in 2000 to 6.5 percent in 2010. The percentage of 5- to 14-year olds shrank from 14.6 percent to 12.9 percent. And 15- to 19-year-olds shrank from 7.3 percent to 6.9 percent.

Also losing ground was the percentage of 25- to 44-year-olds.

On the growth side, the percentage of 20- to 24-year-olds rose, as did older age groups.

Those 85 and older rose 39 percent, from 84,085 in 2000 to 117,271 last year.

The Census also looked at people’s racial and ethnic backgrounds. Of people who considered themselves one race and Asian, the proportion of people of Indian descent grew the greatest, more than doubling from 23,992, or 0.4 percent of the population, in 2000 to 61,124, or 0.9 percent, last year. Other Asian groups grew more slowly, with the population of Japanese descent actually shrinking, from 35,985, or 0.6 percent, in 2000 to 35,008, or 0.5 percent, in 2010.

Among people who identified themselves as Hispanic or Latino, those of Mexican descent grew the most, nearly doubling from 329,934, or 5.6 percent of the population, in 2000 to 601,768, or 8.9 percent, last year. 

Other data released Wednesday:

King County:

• Median age: 37.1 (2000: 35.7)
• Males 49.8 percent, females 50.2 (2000: unchanged)
• Median age by gender: males 36.3, females 37.9 (2000: males 34.9, females 36.6)
• Average household size: 2.4 (2000: 2.39) 
• Average family size: 3.05 (2000: 3.03).