Your Resource To Moving To Klickitat County

Located in south central Washington State, Klickitat County lies at the junction where the Columbia River Gorge cuts through the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains. It encompasses 1,908 square miles (about the same size as the state of Delaware), has miles of whitewater streams, numerous lakes, the Columbia River, the Gifford-Pinchot National Forest and is home to the Klickitat Wildlife Management Area and Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The county is 84 miles wide and averages 23 miles north to south. Its 18,000 residents reside in cultural and historic communities which provide various cultural and business accommodations and world-class attractions.

Fishing, hunting, whitewater rafting, windsurfing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, berry and mushroom picking, and scenic tours provide outdoor recreation opportunities to thousands of travelers and business visitors to the Columbia River Gorge and the Cascade Mountains. Visitors find Klickitat County’s canyons and vistas, evergreen forests, scenic waterfalls, wildflowers, berry fields, ranchlands, sage-covered hillsides, river rapids, hiking and biking trails, deer, turkey, elk, salmon, steelhead, rodeos, festivals, and for those who seek it, seclusion, among the best in the U.S. The moderate climate makes Klickitat County a year-round outdoor recreation destination.

For a list of annual events please visit the Klikitat County calendar of events.

Demographics of Klickitat County

County, State / Factor 1980 1990 2000 2004 (estimate)
Columbia Gorge Region
Population 63,480 65,409 75,169 76,250
Labor Force 31,520 32,840 39,407 41,317
Unemployment 3,245 2,768 2,591 3,967
Unemployment Rate 10.3 8.4 6.4 7.9
Klickitat, WA
Population 15,822 16,616 19,161 19,300
Labor Force 7,360 7,860 9,310 10,050
Unemployment 1,067 857 710 650
Unemployment Rate 14.5 10.9 7.6 6.5

Source: Oregon / Washington State Employment Depts., US Census Information provided by: MCEDD

Important Contact Info:

  • Assessor: 800-764-2235
  • Auditor: 509-773-4001
  • Building: 800-538-8078
  • Planning: 800-765-7239
  • Public Works: 800-583-8074

Useful Websites of the Klickitat County Area

Additional Links

History of Klickitat County

The name Klickitat is usually considered to be a Chinook word meaning “beyond,” i.e., beyond the Cascade Mountains. Lewis and Clark called the tribe the Wah-how-pums. Their language was Shahaptian. The Klickitats were divided into an eastern division occupying the Klickitat and White Salmon River areas and a western division called the Taitnapams who lived west of the Cascades near the Cowlitz and Lewis rivers. The Klickitats were skilled horsemen, hunters, and traders. The women were noted for their intricately woven basketry. The Klickitats were one of 14 tribes grouped together as Yakima (or Yakama) at the June 1855 Walla Walla Council and were signatories of the Treaty of Yakima. Eventually most Klickitats moved onto the Yakama Reservation. By 1970 tribe members had become assimilated with the Yakama and there were only 21 Klickitats recorded as living in the state of Washington.

Resources: www.klickitatcounty.org