Whidbey Island

This article is about the island. For other uses, see Whidbey.

Whidbey Island
Nickname: "The Rock"[1]
Location of Whidbey Island
Satellite image of Whidbey Island
Whidbey Island is located in Strait of Juan de Fuca
Whidbey Island
Whidbey Island
Whidbey Island is located in Washington (state)
Whidbey Island
Whidbey Island
Geography
LocationPuget Sound
Coordinates48°10′17″N 122°36′33″W / 48.1713°N 122.6092°W / 48.1713; -122.6092
Area168.67 sq mi (436.9 km2)
Length37 mi (60 km)
Width10 mi (20 km)
Administration
United States
StateWashington
CountyIsland County
Largest settlementOak Harbor (pop. 23,204 [2])
Demographics
DemonymWhidbey Islander
Population69,480 (2010 census)[3][4]
Pop. density159.03/km2 (411.89/sq mi)
Additional information
Official websitewhidbeycamanoislands.com
Cultus Bay at Low Tide
Double Bluff, with Useless Bay to the South (right) and Mutiny Bay to the North (left)

Whidbey Island (historical spellings Whidby, Whitbey,[5] or Whitby) is the largest of the islands composing Island County, Washington, in the United States, and the largest island in Washington state. Whidbey is about 30 miles (48 km) north of Seattle, and lies between the Olympic Peninsula and the I-5 corridor of western Washington. The island forms the northern boundary of Puget Sound. It is home to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. The state parks and natural forests are home to numerous old growth trees.

According to the 2000 census, Whidbey Island was home to 67,000 residents with an estimated 29,000 of those living in rural locations.[6] This increased slightly to 69,480 residents as of the 2010 census.[3][4]

Whidbey Island is approximately 37 miles (60 km) from north to south, and 1.5 to 10 miles (2.4 to 16.1 km) wide, with a total land area of 168.67 square miles (436.9 km2),[7] making it the 40th largest island in the United States. It is ranked as the fourth longest and fourth largest island in the contiguous United States, behind Long Island, New York;[8][9] Padre Island, Texas (the world's longest barrier island);[10] and Isle Royale, Michigan.[11] In the state of Washington, it is the largest island, followed by Orcas Island.

  1. ^ "Whidbey Island has a terrain that's set in stone". Whidbey News-Times. July 3, 2008. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  2. ^ United States Census Bureau
  3. ^ a b Bureau, US Census. "Search Results". The United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 29, 2020. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ a b "Community Facts: Camano CDP, Washington". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 26, 2019.[permanent dead link‍]
  5. ^ "Whidbey Island". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  6. ^ Island County, Washington and its subdivisions United States Census Bureau
  7. ^ "Island County Assessor". Archived from the original on May 2, 2013. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  8. ^ John Burbidge (November 21, 2004). "Long Island at its Best; Who's the Longest of Them All?". The New York Times. Retrieved October 16, 2008.
  9. ^ "The Longest Islands in the United States - Peakbagger.com". www.peakbagger.com.
  10. ^ "Padre Island National Seashore (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov.
  11. ^ "Isle Royale National Park - National Geographic". nationalgeographic.com. November 5, 2009. Archived from the original on February 4, 2017.