Pacific County /

Pacific County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. It is named after the Pacific Ocean. According to the US Census Bureau as of 2010 the population of this county is 20,920. The unincorporated community of Oysterville, established in 1852, was the original county seat until the late 19th century when it changed to South Bend. The county's largest city is Raymond. Pacific County is centered on the Willapa Bay, a region that provides twenty-five percent of the United States oyster harvest, though forestry, fishing, and tourism are also important elements of the county's economy. Pacific County was formed by the government of Oregon Territory on February 4, 1851. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,224 square miles (3,169 km²), of which 933 square miles (2,416 km²) is land and 291 square miles (752 km²) (23.74%) is water. As of the census of 2000, there were 20,984 people, 9,096 households, and 5,885 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 13,991 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.54% White, 0.20%