Economy of Washington (state)

The northwestern U.S. state of Washington's economy grew 3.7% in 2016, nearly two and a half times the national rate.

Leading economic sectors are government, real estate and rental leasing, and information; manufacturing comes fourth (8.6% of the state's GDP).

Important firms based in Washington include Starbucks, Amazon, Costco, and Microsoft.

[2] The cities of Lynnwood and Mill Creek have the highest sale tax rate in the state at 10.4 percent.

It continues to be the most important revenue source for public schools, fire protection, libraries, parks and recreation, and other special-purpose districts.

[7] Washington industries by GDP value added 2011 Key businesses within the state include the design and manufacture of jet aircraft (Boeing), computer software development (Microsoft, Nintendo of America, Valve), online retailers (Amazon, Expedia, Inc.), electronics, biotechnology, aluminum production, lumber and wood products (Weyerhaeuser), mining, and tourism.

Liqueurs (even if under 20% alcohol by volume) and spirits could only be purchased in state-run or privately owned-state-contracted liquor stores.

[12] In 2004, Washington ranked first in the nation in production of red raspberries (90.0% of total U.S. production), wrinkled seed peas (80.6%), hops (75.0%), spearmint oil (73.6%), apples (58.1%), sweet cherries (47.3%), pears (42.6%), peppermint oil (40.3%), Concord grapes (39.3%), carrots for processing (36.8%), and Niagara grapes (31.6%).

Washington also ranked second in the nation in production of lentils, fall potatoes, dry edible peas, apricots, grapes (all varieties taken together), asparagus (over a third of the nation's production), sweet corn for processing, and green peas for processing; third in tart cherries, prunes and plums, and dry summer onions; fourth in barley and trout; and fifth in wheat, cranberries, and strawberries.

Because of the favorable climate of dry, warm summers and cold winters of Central Washington, the state has led the U.S. in apple production since the 1920s.

(see above) On December 4, 2016 Bloomberg compared the cost of housing between Vancouver, British Columbia and Seattle.