King County

What King County does

King County, Washington is a chartered county government established in 1852 and headquartered at 201 S. Jackson St., Seattle. It operates as the most populous county in Washington state, serving nearly 2 million residents across 9 council districts with a workforce of more than 10,000 employees. The county delivers a comprehensive portfolio of public services including wastewater treatment (serving roughly 2 million people across multiple jurisdictions), Metro public transit and Access paratransit (over 960,000 annual rides to 7,500 active riders), property tax billing and distribution (approximately $7.6 billion processed in 2024), district and superior court operations (25 elected district judges at 10 locations and more than 50 superior court judges at 3 locations), public safety, elections, parks, civil rights enforcement, and vital records.

The county's technology footprint centers on citizen-facing digital services rather than a unified product platform. Notable platforms include iMap, an interactive GIS mapping tool with over 100 map layers supporting parcel lookup, floodplain identification, and coordinate systems (State Plane NAD 1983 HARN); the Online Records Search system indexing recorded documents from August 1991 onward; and a WCAG 2.2 AA-compliant website with Google Translate integration spanning 8+ languages. The Wastewater Treatment Division maintains high investment-grade credit ratings (Aa1/AA+ from Moody's, AA+/AA from S&P) sustained for 15+ years, underpinning a planned $14 billion in system investments over the next decade. Treasury Operations also manages an Investment Pool that peaked at $12.1 billion in 2024 with a $9.9 billion average balance.

The business model is tax- and fee-funded rather than commercial: property taxes are the largest revenue source, augmented by user fees for transit and wastewater, federal reimbursements (including nearly $73 million in delayed COVID-era funds), and debt issuance. Governance is provided by an elected County Executive (Girmay Zahilay), a 9-member Metropolitan King County Council, and independently elected officials including the Prosecuting Attorney (Leesa Manion), Assessor (John Wilson), and Director of Elections (Julie Wise). Service delivery targets residents, businesses, transit riders with disabilities, and partner municipalities, with no parental entity, no subsidiaries, and no private ownership.

Name

King County

Legal name

King County, Washington

Website

https://kingcounty.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1852

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

King County is a chartered Washington state county government serving nearly 2 million residents across 9 council districts with regional wastewater treatment, Metro transit and paratransit, property tax administration, courts, parks, and civil rights services funded primarily by taxes and utility fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Government Public Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Solid Waste Collection (562111), Courts (922110), Public Finance Activities (921130), Waste Collection (56211)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900), Sanitary Services (4950), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Public Health & Human Services Administration (BPAIACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Transit Agencies (Bus, Rail, Metro, Paratransit) (BPAIALAB), Municipal Tax & Revenue Administration (Local) (BPAIACAD), Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF), Publicly Operated Ferry Authorities (Municipal/Regional) (TLAFALAK)

Keywords

• County government services
• Wastewater treatment infrastructure
• Public transit operations
• Property tax administration
• Court and judicial services

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

King County delivers a portfolio of public-sector services mandated for a charter county, including regional wastewater treatment for nearly 2 million people, Metro public transit and Access paratransit (over 960,000 rides annually to 7,500 active riders), centralized property tax billing and distribution of nearly $7.6 billion annually, Superior and District Court operations, Recorder's Office services, solid waste and recycling, parks and natural resources, elections administration, and Civil Rights/ADA enforcement. Digital service channels include the iMap GIS platform, online records search, and the multilingual kingcounty.gov portal.

Product overview

King County government provides a broad portfolio of public services organized around transportation (Metro transit, Water Taxi, Access paratransit), land and environmental management (Department of Natural Resources and Parks with wastewater treatment, solid waste, parks), courts and legal services, treasury and financial operations, public records, and social services (housing, veterans, behavioral health). The core digital touchpoints include iMap for geographic information, the Online Records Search and Recorder's Office for property and vital records, Metro services for transit, and the Civil Rights and ADA programs for equity compliance. No unified software product platform exists; the portfolio consists of direct government service delivery mechanisms and citizen-facing web tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• King County Metro: Public transit services including buses, water taxi, and rail travel throughout King County
• Wastewater Treatment Division
• Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP)

Products and services

• King County Metro Transit Public bus and transit services operated by King County Metro, including fixed routes, Metro Flex on-demand service, Water Taxi ferry service, and Access paratransit for riders with disabilities.
• iMap Interactive Mapping Interactive web-based GIS mapping application that allows users to view King County spatial information including property data, natural resources, political boundaries, and planning information with customizable layers.
• Online Records Search Free searchable database providing access to official King County records including property deeds, mortgages, plats, surveys, and marriage licenses recorded from August 1991 onward.
• Recorder's Office Services Document recording, marriage licensing, real estate excise tax collection, and certified copy requests for King County residents.
• King County Courts King County Superior Court (general jurisdiction with over 50 judges at 3 main locations) and District Court (limited jurisdiction with 25 elected judges at 10 locations) providing civil, criminal, family law, probate, and juvenile services.
• Property Tax Services Treasury Operations handling billing, collection, distribution, and reporting of property taxes, along with tax foreclosures, investment pool management, and debt management. Nearly $7.6 billion in property taxes billed, collected, and distributed in 2024.
• Wastewater Treatment Division Regional wastewater treatment system serving nearly 2 million people, operating conveyance systems, treatment facilities, and environmental programs including the Protecting Our Waters combined sewer overflow prevention program.
• Solid Waste Services Garbage, recycling, and composting services including solid waste facilities, hazardous waste programs, mattress and paint recycling, and food waste reduction initiatives.
• Parks and Recreation King County Parks operating parks, trails, water recreation facilities, and park rentals including Marymoor Park.
• Civil Rights Program Investigation and enforcement of discrimination complaints, ADA Title II coordination, and Title VI compliance for King County.
• ADA & Disability Equity Program Title II ADA compliance coordination and disability equity services within King County government.
• Court Interpreter Services Court interpreter services for Limited English Proficiency individuals in King County Superior Court proceedings.
• Regional Animal Services (RASKC) Animal shelter providing pet adoption, licensing, animal control, and lost pet services for King County residents.
• Best Starts for Kids King County initiative funding health and social services for children, youth, families, and communities.
• WaterWorks Grant Program Provides approximately $6 million every two years to organizations for water quality improvement projects in King County's wastewater service area.
• RainWise Program Provides rebates to property owners in eligible areas to install rain gardens and cisterns for stormwater management.
• Access Paratransit Paratransit service providing over 960,000 annual rides to 7,500 active riders with disabilities, including grocery delivery and same-day reservation pilot programs.
• Housing and Homeless Services Housing assistance, finance programs, and homeless services administered by King County's Department of Community and Human Services.
• King County Veterans Program Services and support programs for veterans administered through the Department of Community and Human Services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 2 million people served by regional wastewater system
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Jupiter PowerminorOthers · 17 March 2026Austin, Texas-based energy storage developer proposing a 130 MW battery energy storage facility on a 45-acre site in unincorporated King County near Snoqualmie Ridge. Project is in early review stages with over 200 residents expressing opposition at public open house.
• Denny International Middle SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 March 2026Hosting 'Partnership for Hope' community event to address food insecurity, organized in collaboration with local organizations and government bodies, featuring 37 pallets of free groceries and supplies.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Maricopa County, Arizona: Fourth-most populous US county operating a comparable portfolio of public health, courts, transportation, parks, and election administration services for the Phoenix metropolitan area.
• Harris County, Texas: Third-most populous US county; delivers flood control, public health, transit, courts, and tax administration for the Houston region, making it directly comparable to King County's multi-jurisdictional service model.
• Miami-Dade County, Florida: Operates an integrated transit system (Metrorail, Metrobus, paratransit), wastewater services, public housing, courts, and a Department of Solid Waste Management—matching King County's service mix.
• Broward County, Florida: Provides transit (BCT), water/wastewater, public safety, courts, and human services for a population similar in scale to King County, making it a strong functional comparable.
• Wayne County, Michigan: Large urban county providing courts, public health, transit, and tax administration for the Detroit metropolitan area; functionally comparable to King County's mix of services.
• Riverside County, California: Operates regional wastewater, transportation (RCTC), public health, and social services for a large inland Southern California population with comparable regional infrastructure scope.
• Cook County, Illinois: A large urban charter county providing public health, courts, property tax administration, and public safety services across the Chicago metropolitan area; comparable scale and service breadth to King County.
• Orange County, California: Large charter county with comparable functions in transit (OCTA), wastewater, public health, and property tax administration serving a population comparable to King County.
• Los Angeles County: The most populous county in the United States; operates an analogous portfolio of transit (LA Metro), wastewater, public health, courts, and social services for over 10 million residents, making it the closest functional peer to King County.
• San Diego County: California county providing public health, transit, property assessment, courts, and parks across a similarly sized coastal population center with comparable governance structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/KingCountyWTD
• Facebookfacebook.com/KingCountyWA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/king-county
• Xx.com/kcnews

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about King County