Most of the counties in the Olympic Peninsula area have seen their population remain flat or fall since the early 1990s, despite phenomenal growth statewide.
Still, the coastal economy is gradually shifting as retirees and other newcomers make up for some of the reliance on the harvest and export of trees and fish, according to this report in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
The trend is in line with the shift happening across the region in formerly natural resource-dependent areas such as Vancouver Island and the Oregon Coast. Retirees who like a damp, overcast climate are being joined by those who can work remotely. Pacific County, on Washington's coast, advertises DSL service as a lure for both retirees and Internet-related business.
Realtors say Kitsap County's market began to take off about a decade ago when it was first included in the Northwest multiple listing service for the Seattle area, according to the article. Retail is an attraction for Aberdeen, but the mostly low-wage big box stores won't power the economy. More significant potential engines of growth include the alternative energy plant being built nearby.