As newcomers flock to Washington, native residents move away

Associated Press

SEATTLE — As more out-of-state residents flock to Seattle the locals are leaving.

The Seattle Times reported that according to U.S. Census Bureau data, last year was the first time in at least a decade when the number of native-born Washington residents in King County declined.

Between 2014 and 2015 the number of Washington natives in King County fell by more than 17,000 — a 2 percent drop. Washington-born residents make up 40 percent of King County’s population.

The data suggests that longtime residents are leaving and being replaced by people from out of state or out of the country.