Community Profile

Summary

The North Olympic Peninsula is located in Washington State, west of Seattle. It is home to the Olympic National Park, the National Forest of the Olympic Mountains, and the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge—the latter of which includes one of the world’s longest sand spits. The northernmost area of the peninsula is home to the cities of Port Angeles and Sequim in Clallam County and to Port Townsend in Jefferson County. These cities together with their surrounding communities make up the north peninsula’s population of just over 110,000 residents. Clallam County has many microclimates due to its varied elevations, rainfall patterns, and temperatures. Located in the rainshadow of the Olympic Mountains, Sequim averages about 16 inches of precipitation per year. At one time, the peninsula supported large stands of native Garry oaks and grasslands. Still today, one native cactus plant species survives! Because of the diversity of climates, the Olympic Peninsula sustains more than 300 bird species, 700 mammal species, 1100 native plant species, and many insect species. In September 2024, the Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society launched the North Olympic Wildlife Habitat Project in collaboration with the National Wildlife Federation. Since then, the project has been inspiring property owners and managers across northern Clallam and Jefferson counties to transform outdoor spaces into habitats thereby supporting the survival needs of native and migratory birds as well as native insects, animals, and plants.