Kittitas County, Washington

Kittitas County
Kittitas County
County
	Kittitas County Courthouse in Ellensburg
	Flag
	Location within the U.S. state of Washington
	Washington's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 47°07′N 120°41′W / 47.12°N 120.68°W
Country	United States
State	Washington
Founded	November 24, 1883
Seat	Ellensburg
Largest city	Ellensburg
Area
• Total	2,333 sq mi (6,040 km2)
• Land	2,297 sq mi (5,950 km2)
• Water	36 sq mi (90 km2) 1.5%
Population (2020)
• Total	44,337
• Estimate (2022)	45,189
• Density	20/sq mi (8/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
Congressional district	8th
Website	www.co.kittitas.wa.us

Kittitas County (/ˈkɪtɪtæs/) is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. At the 2020 census, its population was 44,337.^[1] Its county seat and largest city is Ellensburg.^[2] The county was created in November 1883 when it was carved out of Yakima County.^[3] Kittitas County comprises the Ellensburg, Washington, Micropolitan Statistical Area.

There are numerous interpretations of the county's name, which is from the language of the Yakama Nation. According to one source, it "has been said to mean everything from 'white chalk' to 'shale rock' to 'shoal people' to 'land of plenty'". Most anthropologists and historians concede that each interpretation has some validity depending upon the particular dialect spoken.^[4]

^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
^ Illustrated History of Klickitat, Yakima, & Kittitas Counties, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington. Interstate Publishing Company. 1904. p. 244.
^ Cochran, Jennifer (2007). "Kittitas County - About the County". Archived from the original on October 13, 2010.

[QF-1] "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 19, 2023.

[2] "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.

[3] Illustrated History of Klickitat, Yakima, & Kittitas Counties, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington. Interstate Publishing Company. 1904. p. 244.

[4] Cochran, Jennifer (2007). "Kittitas County - About the County". Archived from the original on October 13, 2010.

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