Sammamish Grows to 45,780 Residents, a 34 Percent Increase From 2000 - Officials say More Public Space Needed

These days, Sammamish city officials often talk about a , a at the old library site and a mixed-use Town Center.

All for good reason.

Sammamish's population shot up to 45,780 people last year, an increase of more than 34 percent when compared to 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Wednesday.

Of that number, 31,017 people were 18 years and older. That still leaves 32 percent, or 14,763 residents, as youths.

Mayor Don Gerend is well aware of these percentages. "We have kids coming out of the woodwork, which is all the more reason for us to focus on activities for young people," he said.

Just a decade ago, Sammamish was about a year old after its 1999 incorporation. Only 34,104 people called the city home back then. There were 11,386 residents who were under 18 years old.

In the following years, Microsoft and other tech companies attracted workers to the Redmond-Sammamish-Issaquah corridor. Developers built homes, many of them spacious, on the Plateau.

Families arrived for work in the region. Their kids attended Plateau schools with strong reputations. Residents enjoyed the rural charm and the proximity to the Cascade Mountains and outdoors.

Now, with a growth rate surpassing ones in Bellevue, Redmond, Woodinville and even Seattle, Sammamish is dealing with a new demography. Sammamish also had a smaller population base in 2000, compared to other cities.

The Census Bureau numbers revealed that on average, each occupied house has about three people, as Pete Butkus, deputy city manager, pointed out.

Of the 15,736 housing units in the city, 96 percent are occupied, Census statistics showed.

People who identified themselves as white on Census forms, which was 34,207 individuals in 2010, made up the largest number of residents. They accounted for 74.7 percent of the city's population last year, down from 87.8 percent in 2000.

The city's racial diversity has grown with the number of Asians increasing from 2,690 people in 2000 to 8,852 individuals last year. In 2010, Asians accounted for 19 percent of the population and were the second largest group in the city after whites.

The city last year had 439 African American and 126 American Indian or Alaska native residents, up from 289 and 99, respectively, in 2000.

There were 1,804 Sammamish residents who identified themselves as Hispanic or Latino in the 2010 Census count. In 2000, there were 853 Hispanics or Latinos. Hispanics or Latinos are not counted under the race category.

"It's been a delight to see the cultural diversity increasing," Gerend said. "They're all welcome additions to the city."

Washington state’s population rose about 14 percent in the past decade, reaching 6,724,540 in 2010. The state is slightly more diverse, with 77 percent of the population identifying themselves as white, compared to 82 percent in 2000. 

The Hispanic and Latino population grew the fastest, rising 71 percent to about three-quarters of a million people. That group makes up about 11 percent of the state’s population, up from 7.5 percent in 2000. 

Among people who identified themselves as one race, the population of native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders grew the fastest, up 69 percent.

Asians grew 49 percent; blacks or African Americans grew 26 percent; American Indian and Alaska natives grew 11 percent; and the white population rose just under 8 percent. People who identified themselves as "Some Other Race" rose 53 percent.

The top six most populous Washington cities remained unchanged. They are, respectively: Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver, Bellevue and Everett.

At the county level, King County is still home to the most people: 1,931,249 in 2010, up from 1,737,034 in 2000. That change represents an 11.2 percent change in population.

Given the increased population, Sammamish could stand to gain more state dollars, such as with state liquor sales. Butkus said the apportionment would be based on the last population estimate used by the state and the 2010 Census figures. 

The Sammamish city numbers were not a complete surprise to Butkus, who has been monitoring population estimates used by the state. The most recent population estimate for Sammamish, he said, was 41,921 residents.

Now, with additional houses, residents and schools, Gerend and other city officials know more public space is needed.

Earlier this month, voters in the voted for a $65.4 million levy, which will help go toward at .

While residents often visit the new and the two public high schools have sports fields, many leave the city and go to Issaquah, Redmond or Bellevue to shop and for other activities.

"The goal since we incorporated was to give us a sense of place, rather than just being a bedroom community," Gerend said.

Editor's note: Information compiled by Margaret Santjer, Patch.com associate regional editor (Seattle), and Redmond Patch was used in this article.