WASHINGTON STATE
Where the next big thing begins.
Why Washington?
Learn more about Washington State as a place to start and run a business, invest and live.
Key Industries
See what drives our economy, from the traditional to the cutting edge.
Property Search
Everything you need is at your fingertips, including our customizable site selection tools.
County Data
View each county’s demographics to find the right fit for your business.
Our Team
Meet our team of professionals who are here to take your business to the next level.
Events
Find out where we’ll be next or sign on as an exhibitor at an upcoming trade show.
WASHINGTON STATE
Where the next big thing begins.
Why Washington?
Learn more about Washington State as a place to start and run a business, invest and live.
Key Industries
See what drives our economy, from the traditional to the cutting edge.
Property Search
Everything you need is at your fingertips, including our customizable site selection tools.
County Data
View each county’s demographics to find the right fit for your business.
Our Team
Meet our team of professionals who are here to take your business to the next level.
Events
Find out where we’ll be next or sign on as an exhibitor at an upcoming trade show.
Upper Left USA
Washington State is a melting pot of people, companies and ideas that has reshaped the way we think, shop, travel, entertain and communicate. Coming up with the Next Big Thing is what we do, from world-famous brands like Amazon to new scalable clean energy solutions.
Shortcuts
A great investment
Businesses around the world are investing billions in Washington’s economy and its future. See who’s who in foreign direct investment across the state.
SPOTLIGHT:
Information Technology
#1 in U.S. Tech Workers
Tech workers make up 9.4% of the state’s total workforce, the highest in the nation. That’s 1 in 10 workers. The national average is 5.4%.
Tech accounts for 21.8% of the state's economy.
The industry accounts for $138.7 billion of total GDP, which is the highest percentage in the U.S.
Nearly 60% of state exports is tech-related.
57% of services exported by the state are technology-related, nearly double second-place Massachusetts.
18,000 tech companies.
Nearly 350,000 workers are employed in tech-related jobs statewide. The state leads the nation in the net percentage of new tech positions. 24% of total wages paid to employees are tied to the tech sector.
In the News…
Community collaboration sparks economic growth in Forks
Forks Prairie spans 3,000 acres at the northwest tip of Washington. It is located at the fork, or confluence, of the Bogachiel, Callawah and the Soleduck rivers. The Hoh and Quillayute tribes made their livelihood by fishing, hunting and harvesting what they...
Director Joe Nguyễn leads Washington’s Paris Air Show delegation
Held from June 16-22, this biennial event is the largest exhibition in the aerospace industry, and has served as a platform for announcing new products, services, partnerships and expansion plans for more than a century. Washington was represented by 78 delegates from...
The Next Big Thing–A Tribute to Robb Zerr
Last month, the Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness (OEDC) experienced a tremendous loss with the passing of our colleague, Robb Zerr. At his death, Robb was the managing director of OEDC’s Rural and Marketing Services at the Washington State Department...
Office Hours
M-F: 8am - 5pm
Address
2001 Sixth Ave., Suite 2600, Seattle, WA 98121
Phone
(206) 256-6100