Newcastle, Washington

Newcastle, Washington
Intersection between Coal Creek Parkway and Newcastle Way, looking northwest towards Bellevue
Intersection between Coal Creek Parkway and Newcastle Way, looking northwest towards Bellevue
Location of Newcastle in King County and Washington
Location of Newcastle in
King County and Washington
Coordinates: 47°32′00″N 122°10′20″W / 47.53333°N 122.17222°W / 47.53333; -122.17222
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountyKing
Government
 • TypeCouncil–manager[1]
 • MayorRobert Clark[2]
Area
 • Total
4.46 sq mi (11.55 km2)
 • Land4.45 sq mi (11.52 km2)
 • Water0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation
561 ft (171 m)
Population
 • Total
13,017
 • Density2,762.87/sq mi (1,066.79/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP codes
98056, 98059
Area code425
FIPS code53-48645
GNIS feature ID1512503[5]
Websitenewcastlewa.gov

Newcastle is an Eastside city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 13,017 at the 2020 census.

Although Newcastle was not incorporated until 1994, it has been an important settlement and town since the late 19th century and played a major role in the development of Seattle and the surrounding region.[6] Newcastle was one of the region's first coal mining areas and its railroad link to Seattle was the first in King County. Timber also played a role in the early history of Newcastle. Coal delivered by rail from Newcastle's mines to Seattle fueled the growth of the Port of Seattle and attracted railroads, most notably the Great Northern Railway.

The Newcastle coal mine began producing coal by the 1870s. More than 13 million tons of coal had been extracted by the time the mine closed in 1963. The history of Newcastle's coal mining industry and the legacy of the mines' many Chinese laborers are memorialized in place names such as Coal Creek, Coal Creek Parkway, and the Coal Creek and China Creek golf courses.

Based on per capita income, Newcastle ranks 11th of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked. In CNN Money's 2011 rankings of best places to live in the United States, Newcastle was in the top 20, along with nearby Sammamish. It ranked 17th in Newsweek's 2009 rankings of best places to live in the United States.

  1. ^ "City Council - City of Newcastle". City of Newcastle. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  2. ^ "Councilmembers". City of Newcastle. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  3. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  4. ^ "Census Bureau profile: Newcastle, Washington". United States Census Bureau. May 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  5. ^ "Newcastle". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  6. ^ "City Profile and History". City of Newcastle. Archived from the original on May 19, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2009.