Seattle region will grow by 1.8 million people by 2050

Our region’s population hit 4 million people just over a year ago. Now, there’s a prediction that it will reach nearly 6 million by 2050. It’s the latest growth projection from The Puget Sound Regional Council.

The numbers are expected to hold even though our big jobs engine, Amazon, plans to grow elsewhere.

The Puget Sound Regional Council says we’ll continue to expand as a tech hub, gaining 1.2 million jobs by mid-century. That will bring an average of 55,000 people a year, which is actually slow growth compared to the last few years.

However, many of the workers moving to our region live alone. Back in the 1970s the average household had three people. By 2050, the average is expected to drop to just over two. That’s a trend that will put sustained pressure on our housing supply.