The Evergreen State’s population is on the rise, and so is the rate at which it’s growing. New figures from the Office of Financial Management put the April 2013 population at 6,882,400, up by nearly 65,000 since last year. 
To add a little perspective, that’s equivalent to adding a brand-new Marysville, plus a few Mossyrocks. It’s one Puyallup, two Ferndales and a Cle Elum.
That growth rate of about one percent is a steep jump over the previous 12 months, and the largest in the last three years.
About 60 percent of the growth is attributable to the births-minus-deaths equation, but the rest – nearly 27,000 – is the excess number of people who moved here over those who moved out of state. Apparently, they never heard those talking points that would have assured them that Washington was a terrible place to live, work, do business, and raise a family.
That’s good for them, and it’s good for Washington. Welcome home!