Kitsap County

Kitsap County is named after Chief Kitsap of the Suquamish tribe. As of 2017, the estimated population was 266,414. Its county seat is at Port Orchard, and its largest city is Bremerton.

The United States Navy is of great importance to the county because it is the largest employer in the county, with installations at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport, and Naval Base Kitsap (which comprises former NSB Bangor, and NS Bremerton).

Kitsap County is connected to the eastern shore of Puget Sound by Washington State Ferries runs from Bremerton to Downtown Seattle , Southworth to West Seattle via Vashon Island, Bainbridge Island to Downtown Seattle, and from Kingston to Edmonds. In addition to occupying most of the Kitsap Peninsula, Kitsap County includes both Bainbridge Island and Blake Island.

Kitsap County was formed out of King County, Washington and Jefferson County, Washington on January 16, 1857. Originally named Slaughter County, it was soon renamed.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 566 square miles, of which, 396 square miles of it is land and 170 square miles of it (30.04%) is water. The population density is 585 per square mile.

Principal Communities: