Edmonds

Edmonds was established in 1876 by logger George Brackett, who bought the land claim of an earlier settler. It was incorporated as a city in 1890, shortly before the arrival of the Great Northern Railway. Early residents of the city were employed by the shingle mills and logging companies that operated in the area until the 1950s. The hills surrounding Edmonds were developed into suburban bedroom communities in the mid-to-late 20th century and subsequently annexed into the city. Edmonds is a regional hub for the arts, with museums, specialized facilities, and major annual festivals within the city's downtown area. The city is connected to nearby areas by two state highways and the state ferry system, which operates a ferry route to Kingston on the Kitsap Peninsula. Public transit service in the city is centered around the downtown train station, served by Amtrak and Sounder commuter trains, and includes several Community Transit bus routes that travel through outlying neighborhoods. With a population of 39,709 residents in the 2010 U.S. census, Edmonds was the third most populous city in Snohomish County. The estimated population in 2019 was 42,605, making it the fourth most populous county in the United States, after Seattle and Everett. No archaeological evidence of a permanent settlement in Edmonds has been found, despite claims that a fishing village had existed near the modern-day downtown. An exploratory expedition of Puget Sound led by Charles Wilkes charted the Edmonds area in 1841, naming "Point Edmund" (now Point Edwards) to the southwest of the modern day downtown.

History

Edmonds is the primary city name, but also Woodway are acceptable city names or spellings. Prior to the 19th century, the Edmonds area was inhabited by the Suquamish tribe, who foraged and fished near the flat beach forming modern-day downtown. No archaeological evidence of a permanent settlement in Edmonds has been found, despite claims that a fishing village had existed. The Town of Edmonds was formally incorporated as a fourth-class village of 600 acres (240 ha) on August 14, 1890, following an election by residents on August 7. Edmonds is the oldest incorporated city in Snohomish County. By 1908, the town had gained its own water system, electricity, paved streets, and telephone service. Automobile ferry service began in 1923, with the inauguration of the Kingston ferry, which would be acquired by the Puget Sound Navigation Company and continue to serve the city after the decline of the Mosquito fleet. In September 1908, Edmonds voted to become a third-class city, with a reported population of 1,546 residents. Despite the increasing scarcity of local timber, the city's main industry in the early 20th century remained the sawmills on the waterfront. During the Great Depression, all but two mills continued to operate and operate and were supplemented by local improvement projects organized by the federal Works Progress Administration. A second major fire struck downtown Edmonds on April 11, 1928, damaging several buildings on the same block of Main Street as the fire on July 8, 1909. The city unsuccessfully lobbied for a branch of the interurban line from Everett to Seattle, whichwould have supplemented passenger steamships on the Mosqito fleet and passenger trains operated by Great Northern.

Geography

Edmonds is located in the southwest corner of Snohomish County in Western Washington. It is considered a suburb of Seattle, located 15 miles (24 km) to the south. The city's main commercial districts are Downtown Edmonds, situated in a valley known as the "bowl", and the State Route 99 corridor at its east end. The Puget Sound makes up 86 percent of the city's drainage basin, with other streams flowing into Lake Ballinger to the southeast. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.42 square miles (47.71 km²), of which 8.90 sq miles (23.05 km²) is land and 9.52 sq mi (24.66 km²] is water. Edmonds has 5 miles (8.0 km) of shoreline, which is crossed by several small streams, and is bordered to the west by Puget sound and the city of Woodway, which lies south of Pine Street and west of 5th Avenue South. The unincorporated area of Esperance is an enclave of Edmonds and has resisted several attempts at annexation. It has several outlying suburban neighborhood with their own commercial centers, including Firdale, Five Corners, Perrinville, Seaview, Sherwood, and Westgate. The downtown area and "bowl" has views of Pugetsound and the Olympic Mountains. It was the site of the World War II Battle of the Bulge.

Economy

As of 2015, Edmonds has an estimated workforce population of 22,152 and an unemployment rate of 3.8 percent. Most of the city's employed residents commute to neighboring cities for work, including 11 percent to Seattle. The city's largest employers are the Edmonds School District, Swedish Medical Center, and large retailers, which includes grocery stores and car dealerships. The nearest shopping malls are Alderwood in Lynnwood and Aurora Village in Shoreline, the latter of which was seen as a potential annexation target by Edmonds in the 1990s. The most common occupational industry for Edmonds residents is in educational and health services, employing 23 percent, followed by retail (13%) and professional services (12%). The city has over 13,000 jobs, a ratio of 0.325 jobs per capitaa figure that is lower than neighboring cities. Other large industries in Edmonds include retail (12%), education (6%), and construction (4%). The car dealership, which are primarily located along the State Route 99 corridor, account for $152 million in annual retail sales, which contributes to the city’s general sales tax revenue. The average one-way commute for Edmond residents was approximately 31 minutes; 71 percent of commuters drove alone to their workplace, while 9 percent carpooled and 9 percent used public transit. Only 11.7 percent of residents work at employers within Edmonds city limits, with the majority of jobs in the health care and professional service sector. It is estimated that Edmonds will have a population of 25,000 by 2019.

Demographics

Edmonds is the third most populous city in Snohomish County, behind Everett and Marysville, with 39,709 people counted during the 2010 U.S. census. Between 1960 and 1990, Edmonds' population tripled from 8,000 to over 30,000 due to a series of annexations and natural growth. The population growth also brought an influx of Asian immigrants and their descendants to Edmonds, predominantly Koreans, who now make up about 7 percent of the population and are the largest non-white group in the city. The city's population is expected to reach 45,000 by 2035. Edmonds has a median family income of $93,125 and a per capita Income of $43,048, ranking 20th of 281 areas within the state of Washington. The median age and number of retirees in Edmonds is significantly higher than the countywide average. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was2.82. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female. In the city, the median age was 46.3 years, with 18.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.5% were from 25 to 44; 32.8% wereFrom 45 to 64; and 19.1% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 89.8 males.

Government and politics

Edmonds operates as a non-charter code city under a mayorcouncil government. It has an elected mayor and a seven-member city council. The municipal government employs 224 people full-time and operates on an annual budget of $98 million. The city's fire department was disbanded in January 2010 in favor of contracted service from Fire District 1 (now South County Fire), a regional entity serving several areas in southwestern Snohomish County. At the federal level, Edmonds has been part of the 7th congressional district since 2012, represented by Democrat Pramila Jayapal of Seattle. At state level, the city is divided between the 21st and 32nd legislative districts, along with Lynnwood, Woodway, and Lynnwood City Council's 3rd district. The mayor is elected to a four-year term and is a nonpartisan position. Former councilmember Mike Nelson was elected as mayor in 2019, succeeding two-term mayor Dave Earling. Edmonds is a member of the Washington State League of Mayors and the Washington City Council. It is located in the SnohOMish County, which is home to Lynnwood and Woodway. Edmonds was part of Washington's 1st congressional district until 2012, when the district was redrawn. Prior to the 2012 redistricting in Washington, the 1st district was represented by Jay Inslee, and Edmonds had been in the 1th state legislative district since 2001. The council's 7 members are elected at-large to 4-year terms and serve as the legislative body.

Culture

Edmonds has hosted the annual Edmonds Arts Festival since 1957. The Cascadia Art Museum opened in 2015 at the location of a former grocery store in downtown Edmonds and focuses on regional Northwest art. The Driftwood Players host year-round theatrical performances at the Wade James Theatre near Yost Park. Edmonds was served by one weekly newspaper, the Edmonds Tribune-Review, for most of the 20th century. Today, Edmonds is served by The Everett Herald and The Seattle Times. The city is home to a weekly farmers' market that runs from June to October on Saturdays and is sponsored by EdmondsSouth Snohomish County Historical Society. In November 2018, ArtsWA designated Edmonds as the first creative district in Washington by ArtsWA, the state art agency. The Edmonds library was established in 1901 and moved into a permanent building funded by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in 1911. The Carnegie Library served as a dual library and city hall until 1962, when a new civic center opened. A small 911 memorial, including a steel beam from the World Trade Center, is located at a fire station near downtown Edmond and was dedicated in 2015. In addition to the neighborhood and community parks, the city also maintains sports fields, a seasonal swimming pool, and a small skate park. It has 23 city parks (76 ha) of open and preserved space, along with several facilities with the county government (230 ha) Downtown Edmonds has several major parks, including the public beach at Brackett's Landing, overlooking City Marsh, and the future Civic Field.

Education

Edmonds is wholly within the boundaries of the Edmonds School District, which also serves Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, and Woodway. The city is home to Edmonds Woodway High School, of the district's five high schools. The school district also operates an alternative high school, Scriber Lake, two K8 schools, five elementary schools, and two combined elementarymiddle schools within Edmonds city limits. Edmonds is also home to several private schools, which accommodate grade levels from preschool to high school. It was formerly home to the private Puget Sound Christian College, which operated from 1977 to 2001 at the former Edmonds High School building (now Edmonds Center for the Arts) The city was once home to a private college called Edmonds College, but it now lies within Lynnwood city limits, and the college is no longer in existence. It is the only city in the state of Washington to have a high school with an IB Diploma Programme. It also has one of the nation's largest high schools, with more than 1,800 students in the high school class of 1998. The high school was formed in 1990 after the merger of Edmonds and Wood way and moved in 1998 to a new campus east of the city. It has an IB diploma programme for students in grades 9-12. The town also has a number of public schools, including Edmonds Elementary, Edmonds Middle, and Edmonds Junior High. The Edmonds Public Library is located in the city, as well as several private elementary schools.

Infrastructure

Edmonds is served by several modes of transportation, including roads, railroads, ferries, and buses. The city's ferry terminal is located at the west end of Main Street at Brackett's Landing Park. Public transportation in Edmonds is provided by Community Transit, which covers most of Snohomish County and covers 74 percent of Edmonds residents. Public utilities include Puget Sound Energy and the Alderwood Water District, which sources its water from Everett's Spada Lake Reservoir. In 2017, the city signed a clean energy pledge that would mandate the use of renewable energy sources to generate all of its electricity by 2025. Edmonds has one general hospital, a branch of the Swedish Medical Center, which is located on State Route 99. It was established in 1964 and was run independently until the hospital was acquired by Swedish in 2010. The hospital sits at the center of a district of medical and professional services offices along StateRoute 99. The Edmonds Police Department is based in downtown Edmonds. The department was founded in 1961 and has been in charge of the city's public safety for the past 20 years. The police department is part of the Seattle Police Department, which has its headquarters in downtown Seattle. It also has a substation in the downtown area, which serves the University District and Aurora Village. The Police Department also provides the Edmonds Fire Department with fire and rescue services. The fire department has a station in downtown, which was built in the 1960s and is on the Kitsap Peninsula.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Edmonds, Snohomish County, Washington = 30.7. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 53. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 20. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Edmonds = 2.7 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 34,585 individuals with a median age of 45.1 age the population grows by 3.09% in Edmonds, Snohomish County, Washington population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 4,778.49 residents per square mile of area (1,844.90/km²). There are average 2.25 people per household in the 17,935 households with an average household income of $64,632 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 8.10% of the available work force and has dropped -0.88% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 30.14%. The number of physicians in Edmonds per 100,000 population = 133.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Edmonds = 38.6 inches and the annual snowfall = 4.3 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 158. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 160. 76 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 33.1 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 73, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Edmonds, Snohomish County, Washington which are owned by the occupant = 64.59%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 35 years with median home cost = $327,690 and home appreciation of -10.69%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $10.94 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,803 per student. There are 19.6 students for each teacher in the school, 633 students for each Librarian and 517 students for each Counselor. 8.39% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 24.11% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 12.04% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).