Editing Pacific Northwest (section)

===Population===
[[File:Cascadia megacity map.png|thumb|upright=0.8|right|Map of most of the Cascadia urban megaregion, showing population density (shades of yellow/brown), highways (red), and major railways (black). Public land shown in shades of green. This map omits the southern Willamette Valley, which is typically considered part of the megaregion.]]

The overwhelming majority of the population of the Pacific Northwest is concentrated in an [[Megaregions of the United States|urban megaregion]], typically identified with its three major cities (Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver) but extending south from Vancouver to the [[Eugene, Oregon]] area, following the path of U.S. [[Interstate 5]]. Most of this urban megaregion is located between 40-90 miles inland from the [[Pacific Ocean]] coast.<ref>{{cite web |title=Google Maps |url=https://www.google.com/maps/@46.0599733,-123.0668945,6.91z?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDUxMy4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D |website=Google Maps |language=en}}</ref> 

As of 2021, the combined populations of the [[Lower Mainland]] region (which includes the [[Metro Vancouver Regional District]]), the [[Puget Sound region]] (which includes the [[Seattle metropolitan area]]), and the [[Willamette Valley]] (which includes the [[Portland metropolitan area]]) totaled more than ten million people.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Lower%20Mainland%2D%2DSouthwest&DGUIDlist=2021S05005920&GENDERlist=1&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 |title=Data table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Lower Mainland--Southwest [Economic region], British Columbia |access-date=10 February 2022 |archive-date=28 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240528030808/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Lower%20Mainland%2D%2DSouthwest&DGUIDlist=2021S05005920&GENDERlist=1&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title="RACE." Decennial Census, DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171), Table P1, 2020|url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2020.P1?g=330XX00US500|access-date=2025-05-17|website=data.census.gov|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=U.S. Census Bureau. "RACE." Decennial Census, DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171), Table P1, 2020|url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2020.P1?q=population&g=310XX00US10540,18700,21660,38900,41420|access-date=2025-05-17|website=data.census.gov|language=en}}</ref> However, beyond these three urban areas, the PNW region is characterized by a very low density population distribution. Large geographical areas may only have one mid-sized to small-sized city as a regional center (often a county seat), with smaller cities and towns scattered around. Vast areas of the region may have little or no population at all, largely due to the presence of extensive mountains and forests, and plateaus containing both extensive farm and range lands, much of which is protected from development in large parks and preserves, or by zoning use regulation related to traditional land use. For example, all cities within the vast coastal area between Eugene, Oregon and [[San Francisco]], California, including [[Southern Oregon]] and [[Upstate California|far northern California]] (often included in the "Pacific Northwest") have populations less than 100,000, with that portion of the state containing millions of acres of national forests and parks.

The most densely populated region west of the [[Cascade Range]] outside this corridor is Southern [[Vancouver Island]] near British Columbia's Pacific coast, including [[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]] and [[Nanaimo]], (with a population of approximately 500,000).<ref>{{cite web|last=Government of Canada|first=Statistics Canada|date=2017-02-08|title=Census Profile, 2016 Census - Victoria [Census metropolitan area], British Columbia and British Columbia [Province]|url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMACA&Code1=935&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&SearchText=victoria&SearchType=Contains&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1&type=0|access-date=2021-07-01|website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Government of Canada|first=Statistics Canada|date=2017-02-08|title=Census Profile, 2016 Census - Nanaimo, Regional district [Census division], British Columbia and Nanaimo [Population centre], British Columbia|url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CD&Code1=5921&Geo2=POPC&Code2=0568&Data=Count&SearchText=Nanaimo&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1|access-date=2021-07-01|website=www12.statcan.gc.ca}}</ref> In contrast, most of the coastal areas of Washington and [[Oregon Coast|Oregon]] are sparsely populated.

East of the Cascades, populated areas include the [[Okanagan Valley]] in the British Columbia interior centered around the city of [[Kelowna]], the [[Yakima|Yakima Valley]] and [[Kennewick]] in Washington, the [[Bend, Oregon|Bend]]-[[Redmond, Oregon|Redmond]] area just east of the Cascades in Central Oregon. Further east are urban areas including [[Spokane, Washington|Spokane]] and [[Boise]] that are sometimes included in the Pacific Northwest, but share relatively few ties with the core Vancouver-Seattle-Portland corridor. 

==== List of largest cities and metropolitan areas by population in the Pacific Northwest ====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! City !! State/Province !! Population !! Metropolitan area !! Urban area
|-
| [[Seattle]] || Washington || {{nts|704,000}}<ref name=census-wa>{{cite web |url=http://2010.census.gov/news/releases/operations/cb11-cn45.html |title=U.S. Census Bureau Delivers Washington's 2010 Census Population Totals |access-date=July 11, 2011 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |date=February 23, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721034222/http://2010.census.gov/news/releases/operations/cb11-cn45.html |archive-date=July 21, 2011 }}</ref> || {{nts|3,905,026}}<ref name=PopEstCBSA>{{cite web |url= http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_NSRD_GCTPL2.US24PR&prodType=table |title= Population and Housing Occupancy Status: 2010 – United States – Metropolitan Statistical Area; and for Puerto Rico |work= 2010 United States Census |publisher= [[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division |date= April 14, 2011|access-date= July 12, 2011}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>|| {{nts|3,059,393}}<ref name=urban>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ua/ua_list_all.xls|title=A national 2010 urban area file containing a list of all urbanized areas and urban clusters (including Puerto Rico and the Island Areas) sorted by UACE code}}</ref>
|-
| [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]] || Oregon || {{nts|658,347}}<ref name=PopEstCBSA/> || {{nts|2,753,168}}<ref name=PopEstCBSA/>|| {{nts|1,849,898}}<ref name=urban/>
|-
| [[Vancouver]] || British Columbia || {{nts|631,486}}<ref name=":2">{{cite web|last=Services|first=Ministry of Citizens'|title=Population Estimates - Province of British Columbia|url=https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/data/statistics/people-population-community/population/population-estimates|access-date=2021-04-17|website=www2.gov.bc.ca}}</ref>
 || {{nts|2,737,698}}<ref name=":1" />|| {{nts|2,264,823}}<ref name=urbanCA>{{cite web|url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/pd-pl/Table.cfm?Lang=Eng&T=801&SR=1&S=3&O=D&RPP=100&PR=0|title=Population and Dwelling Count Highlight Tables, 2016 Census|last=Canada|first=Government of Canada, Statistics|website=www12.statcan.gc.ca|date=February 8, 2017|language=en}}</ref>
|-
| [[Surrey, British Columbia|Surrey]] || British Columbia || {{nts|598,530}}<ref name=":2" />
||{{efn|name=VancouverMetro|Part of [[Greater Vancouver]]}}||{{efn|name=VancouverMetro}}
|-
| [[Burnaby]] || British Columbia || {{nts|257,926
}}<ref name=":2" />||{{efn|name=VancouverMetro}}||{{efn|name=VancouverMetro}}
|-
| [[Boise, Idaho|Boise]] || Idaho || 236,634<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 1, 2022 |title=United States Census QuickFacts Boise City, Idaho |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/boisecitycityidaho/PST045222 |access-date=August 28, 2023}}</ref>|| {{nts|691,423}}<ref name=PopEstCBSA/>|| {{nts|349,684}}<ref name=urban/>
|-
| [[Spokane, Washington|Spokane]] || Washington || {{nts|222,081}}<ref name=census-wa/> || {{nts|573,493}}<ref name=spokesman-county>{{cite news |url= http://data.spokesman.com/census/2010/washington/counties |title= Washington population by county – Census 2010: Washington |access-date= July 12, 2011 |newspaper= [[The Spokesman-Review]] |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110814080642/http://data.spokesman.com/census/2010/washington/counties/ |archive-date= August 14, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates Tables|website=www.census.gov|language=EN-US|access-date=2019-06-13}}</ref>|| {{nts|486,225}}<ref name=urban/>
|-
| [[Richmond, British Columbia|Richmond]] || British Columbia || {{nts|216,046}}<ref name=":2" />||{{efn||name=VancouverMetro}}||{{efn|name=VancouverMetro}}
|-
| [[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] || Washington || {{nts|198,397}}<ref name=census-wa/> ||{{efn|name=SeattleMSA|Part of [[Seattle metropolitan area]] (Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA MSA)}}||{{efn|name=SeattleMSA}}
|-
| [[Vancouver, Washington|Vancouver]] || Washington || {{nts|175,673}}<ref name=census-wa/> ||{{efn|name=PortlandMSA|Part of [[Portland metropolitan area]] (Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA)}}||{{efn|name=PortlandMSA}}
|-
| [[Salem, Oregon|Salem]] || Oregon || {{nts|169,798}}<ref name=census-or/> || {{nts|390,738}}<ref name=PopEstCBSA/>|| {{nts|236,632}}<ref name=urban/>
|-
| [[Eugene, Oregon|Eugene]] || Oregon || {{nts|168,916}}<ref name=census-or>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb11-cn43.html |title=U.S. Census Bureau Delivers Oregon's 2010 Census Population Totals |access-date=December 31, 2012 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|date=February 23, 2011}}</ref> || {{nts|351,715}}<ref name=PopEstCBSA/>|| {{nts|247,421}}<ref name=urban/>
|-
| [[Abbotsford, British Columbia|Abbotsford]] || British Columbia || {{nts|161,581}}<ref name=":2" />|| {{nts|204,265}}<ref name=":1" />|| {{nts|121,279}}<ref name="urbanCA" />
|-
| [[Coquitlam]] || British Columbia || {{nts|152,734}}<ref name=":2" />||{{efn|name=VancouverMetro}}||{{efn|name=VancouverMetro}}
|-
| [[Bellevue, Washington|Bellevue]] || Washington || {{nts|148,164}}<ref name=PopEstWA>{{cite web |date=May 2020 |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Washington: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2019 |url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2010-2019/cities/totals/SUB-IP-EST2019-ANNRES-53.xlsx |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 26, 2020}}</ref> ||{{efn|name=SeattleMSA}}||{{efn|name=SeattleMSA}}
|-
| [[Kelowna]] || British Columbia || {{nts|146,127}}<ref name=":2" />|| {{nts|222,748}}<ref name=":1" />|| {{nts|151,957}}<ref name="urbanCA" />
|-
| [[Redmond, Washington|Redmond]] || Washington || {{nts|136,420}}<ref name=PopEstWA/> ||{{efn|name=SeattleMSA}}||{{efn|name=SeattleMSA}}
|-
| [[Langley, British Columbia (district municipality)|Langley (Township)]]|| British Columbia || {{nts|133,302}}<ref name=":2" />||{{efn|name=VancouverMetro}}||{{efn|name=VancouverMetro|}}
|-
| [[Kent, Washington|Kent]] || Washington || {{nts|125,560}}<ref name="census-wa" /> ||{{efn|name=SeattleMSA}}||{{efn|name=SeattleMSA}}
|-
| [[Saanich, British Columbia|Saanich]]|| British Columbia || {{nts|125,107}}<ref name=":2" />||{{efn|name=GV|Part of [[Greater Victoria]]}}||{{efn|name=GV}}
|-
| [[Delta, British Columbia|Delta]]|| British Columbia || {{nts|111,281}}<ref name=":2" />||{{efn|name=VancouverMetro}}||{{efn|name=VancouverMetro}}
|-
| [[Gresham, Oregon|Gresham]] || Oregon || {{nts|111,063}}<ref name="census-or" /> ||{{efn|name=PortlandMSA}}||{{efn|name=PortlandMSA|}}
|-
| [[Hillsboro, Oregon|Hillsboro]] || Oregon || {{nts|106,894}}<ref name="census-or" /> ||{{efn||name=PortlandMSA}}||{{efn|name=PortlandMSA}}
|-
| [[Meridian, Idaho|Meridian]] || Idaho || {{nts|106,000}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.spokesman.com/census/2010/idaho/cities/meridian-id/|title=Meridian – Census 2010: Idaho – The Spokesman-Review|website=data.spokesman.com|access-date=July 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140716151809/http://data.spokesman.com/census/2010/idaho/cities/meridian-id/|archive-date=July 16, 2014}}</ref> ||{{efn|name=BoiseMSA|Part of [[Boise metropolitan area]] (Boise City–Nampa, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA))}}||{{efn|name=BoiseMSA}}
|-
| [[Everett, Washington|Everett]] || Washington || {{nts|103,019}}<ref name=census-wa/> ||{{efn|name=SeattleMSA}}||{{efn|name=SeattleMSA}}
|-
| [[Nanaimo]] || British Columbia || {{nts|101,336}}<ref name=":2" />|| {{nts|117,144}}<ref name=":1" />|| {{nts|88,799}}<ref name=urbanCA/>
|-
| [[Kamloops]] || British Columbia || {{nts|101,198}}<ref name=":2" />|| {{nts|116,896}}<ref name=":1" />|| {{nts|78,026}}<ref name="urbanCA" />
|-
| [[Beaverton, Oregon|Beaverton]] || Oregon || {{nts|97,514}}<ref name="census-or" /> ||{{efn|name=PortlandMSA}}||{{efn|name=PortlandMSA}}
|-
| [[Renton, Washington|Renton]] || Washington || {{nts|95,448}}<ref name="census-wa" /> ||{{efn|name=SeattleMSA}}||{{efn|name=SeattleMSA}}
|-
| [[Spokane Valley, Washington|Spokane Valley]] || Washington || {{nts|94,919}}<ref name="census-wa" /> ||{{efn|name=SpokaneMSA|Part of [[Spokane metropolitan area]] (Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA MSA)}}||{{efn|name=SpokaneMSA}}
|-
| [[Chilliwack]] || British Columbia || {{nts|95,178}}<ref name=":2" />|| {{nts|116,626}}<ref name=":1" />|| {{nts|73,161}}<ref name="urbanCA" />
|-
| [[Bend, Oregon|Bend]] || Oregon || {{nts|94,520}}<ref name="USA:Oregon">{{cite web | url=http://www.citypopulation.de/USA-Oregon.html |title=USA: Oregon |work=Citypopulation.de |year=2010 |access-date= June 25, 2012}}</ref> || {{nts|170,705}}|| {{nts|83,794}}<ref name="urban" />
|-
| [[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]] || British Columbia || {{nts|94,415}}<ref name=":2" />|| {{nts|408,883}}<ref name=":1" />|| {{nts|335,696}}<ref name="urbanCA" />
|-
| [[Nampa, Idaho|Nampa]] || Idaho || {{nts|93,590}}<ref name="census-id">{{cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2016 |url=https://www.census.gov |access-date=May 26, 2017 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>||{{efn|name=BoiseMSA}}||{{efn|name=BoiseMSA}}
|-
| [[Kirkland, Washington|Kirkland]] || Washington || {{nts|93,010}}<ref name="PopEstWA" /> ||{{efn|name=SeattleMSA}}||{{efn|name=SeattleMSA}}
|-
| [[Maple Ridge, British Columbia|Maple Ridge]]|| British Columbia || {{nts|91,479}}<ref name=":2" />||{{efn|name=VancouverMetro}}||{{efn|name=VancouverMetro}}
|-
| [[Bellingham, Washington|Bellingham]] || Washington || {{nts|92,314}}<ref name=census-wa/> || {{nts|201,140}}<ref name="pop2020-BellinghamMSA">{{cite web|url= https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/bellinghamcitywashington/PST045221 |access-date=February 5, 2022|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Bellingham city, Washington }}</ref>|| {{nts|114,473}}<ref name=urban/>
|-
| [[Yakima, Washington|Yakima]] || Washington || {{nts|91,067}}<ref name="spokesman">{{cite news |url= http://data.spokesman.com/census/2010/washington/cities |title= Washington population by city – Census 2010: Washington |access-date= July 12, 2011 |newspaper= [[The Spokesman-Review]] |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110814081150/http://data.spokesman.com/census/2010/washington/cities/ |archive-date= August 14, 2011}}</ref> || {{nts|243,231}}<ref name="spokesman" />|| {{nts|129,534}}<ref name="urban" />
|-
| [[North Vancouver, British Columbia (district municipality)|North Vancouver (District)]]|| British Columbia || {{nts|89,767}}<ref name=":2" />||{{efn|name=VancouverMetro}}||{{efn|name=VancouverMetro|}}
|-
| [[Federal Way, Washington|Federal Way]] || Washington ||  {{nts|89,306}}<ref name="census-wa" /> ||{{efn|name=SeattleMSA|}}||{{efn|name=SeattleMSA}}
|-
| [[Kennewick, Washington|Kennewick]] || Washington || {{nts|84,347}}<ref name="PopEstWA" /> || {{nts|268,200}}|| {{nts|232,954}}<ref name="urban" />
|-
|[[New Westminster]]
|British Columbia
|{{Nts|82,590}}<ref name=":2" />
|{{efn|name=VancouverMetro}}
|{{efn|name=VancouverMetro}}
|-
|[[Prince George, British Columbia|Prince George]]
|British Columbia
|{{Nts|82,290}}<ref name=":2" />
|{{Nts|96,015}}<ref name=":1" />
|{{Nts|65,510}}<ref name="urbanCA" />
|-
|[[Missoula, Montana|Missoula]]
|Montana
|76,784
|117,922
|
|-
| [[Medford, Oregon|Medford]] || Oregon || {{nts|74,907}}<ref name="USA:Oregon" /> || {{nts|207,010}}|| {{nts|154,081}}<ref name=urban/>
|-
| [[Olympia, Washington|Olympia]]{{efn|Included due to its large metropolitan population.}} || Washington || {{nts|55,605}}<ref>{{cite web |title="TOTAL POPULATION." Decennial Census, DEC Demographic and Housing Characteristics, Table P1, 2020 |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P1?q=population+2020&g=312XX00US365005351300 |website=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=17 May 2025}}</ref> || {{nts|294,793}}<ref>{{cite web |title="RACE." Decennial Census, DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171), Table P1, 2020 |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2020.P1?q=population+2020&g=310XX00US36500_312XX00US365005351300 |website=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=17 May 2025}}</ref>|| {{efn|Part of the [[Seattle combined statistical area]].}}
|}