Country United States Time zone Pacific (PST) (UTC-8) Local time Friday 3:15 AM | Elevation 72 ft (22 m) ZIP codes 98366-98367 Population 12,959 (2013) | |
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Weather 6°C, Wind NW at 2 km/h, 100% Humidity Points of interest Veterans Memorial Park, Port Orchard Waterfron, Mary Ann Huntington Children | ||
Port Orchard is a city in and the county seat of Kitsap County, Washington, United States. It is located 13 miles due west of West Seattle and connected to Seattle and Vashon Island via the Washington State Ferries run to Southworth. It is named after Port Orchard, the strait that separates Bainbridge Island from the Kitsap Peninsula.
Contents
Map of Port Orchard, WA, USA
The population was 11,144 at the 2010 census. The Washington State Office of Financial Management's 2015 estimate placed the population at 13,607.
History
The Port Orchard area was first settled in 1854 by Wiliam Renton and Daniel Howard, who set up a saw mill there. The town that was to become Port Orchard was originally platted in 1886 by Frederick Stevens, who named the new location after his father, Sidney. The town of Sidney was incorporated September 15, 1890, and was the first in Kitsap County to be both platted and incorporated. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Navy sought a suitable location for another installation on the west coast, and found it with the assistance of Sidney's residents in Orchard Bay (this installation would later become the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard).
The county seat was originally in Port Madison, but moved after a popular vote to Sidney in 1892. In December of that same year, the residents of Sidney petitioned both the state legislature and the Post Office Department to rename the city to "Port Orchard." The legislature refused, as Charleston (now West Bremerton) had also requested that name. The Post Office Department, however, went through with the name change, and as a result the Port Orchard post office ended up in Sidney, and the Charleston post office ended up in Port Orchard. It wasn't until 1903 that local politician Will Thompson convinced the state legislature to correct this confusing situation, and relocated the Charleston post office to Charleston, at the same time renaming Sidney to "Port Orchard," as it is known today.
Geography
Port Orchard is located at 47°31′54″N 122°38′18″W (47.531563, -122.638405).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.52 square miles (22.07 km2), of which, 7.24 square miles (18.75 km2) is land and 1.28 square miles (3.32 km2) is water.
Demographics
As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $34,020, and the median income for a family was $41,946. Males had a median income of $33,610 versus $25,739 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,382. About 10.9% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 11,144 people, 4,278 households, and 2,726 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,539.2 inhabitants per square mile (594.3/km2). There were 4,630 housing units at an average density of 639.5 per square mile (246.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 80.8% White, 3.4% African American, 1.3% Native American, 5.8% Asian, 1.4% Pacific Islander, 1.0% from other races, and 6.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.6% of the population.
There were 4,278 households of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.3% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.96.
The median age in the city was 34.5 years. 23.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.1% were from 25 to 44; 23.4% were from 45 to 64; and 13.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.3% male and 49.7% female.