What Makes Sedro-Woolley Unique?

Downtown Sedro-Woolley- photo by Andy Porter Photography

City of Sedro-Woolley

Sedro-Wooley has always been a special place. Originally, the area was two separate towns called Sedro and Woolley, offi cially becoming “SedroWoolley” when the towns merged and into one on December 19, 1898. The town is deeply connected to its history through the descendants of its founding families, and through its many historical buildings and wood carvings.

Sedro-Woolley is known as the “Gateway to the North Cascades” because of its location between the scenic Cascade Loop drive to the east and Puget Sounds’ San Juan Islands to the west. The North Cascades recreation area that attracts 750,000 visitors every year. The Cascade Loop, which is over 400 miles long, has designation as a National Scenic Byway. The city is situated just minutes from Interstate-5 on Highway 20, midway between Vancouver, Canada and Seattle, Washington.

Sedro-Woolley off ers a high quality of life with a small-town atmosphere. The community is brought together with year-round destination events located in charming, historic downtown, the Sedro-Woolley Rodeo Grounds, and at Riverfront Park. The city is continuing its evolution from timber to tech, which has brought a younger, more modern feel to the downtown scene. A brandnew library was opened to the public this year.

While the area is booming, SedroWoolley has lower housing and land costs compared to surrounding areas. A 2021 survey found that homes sold in Sedro-Woolley were more aff ordable than those of comparable size and amenities in other cities in Skagit County. Housing is still going strong here in Sedro-Woolley, with 52 residential units recently completed and 184 multi-family units permits recently approved. The city of Sedro-Woolley continues to maintain four multi-units that provide aff ordable housing. There are new developments happening on

Hodgins Road, Stendal Road, off of E. Jones Road and up Hwy 9, including a five-story building.

For many, it’s the easy access to beautiful parks, fishing, skiing, the San Juan Islands and over 100 miles of trails that are the biggest draw. Families are also eager to move here because of our well-rated school district that has built a reputation for strong public-private partnerships that serve the community and local businesses. Sedro-Woolley is simply a great place to visit and live!

Skagit Tribe

The 84-acre Upper Skagit Reservation, which sits east of SedroWoolley, is home to a tribe with 504 enrolled members; descendants of a tribe that once inhabited 10 villages on the Upper Skagit and Sauk Rivers. The Skagit Tribe opened its popular $28 million Skagit Valley Casino Resort on a 15-acre site off of the Bow Exit on Interstate-5 in 1995. The $11 million, 103 – room hotel and conference center was opened in 2001. 5984 Darrk Lane, Bow www.theskagit.com (360) 854-7090

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Murals and Wood Carvings

Tourists come to see the beautiful wood carvings and murals spread through the downtown area of the city, mostly along Metcalf Street. The carvings come from the annual chainsaw carving competition - part of the LoggerodeoTM festivities. Many of the painted murals were inspired by world-famous photographer Darius Kinsey, who had a photo-studio in Sedro-Woolley in the late 1890s. He was known for his emphasis on Western scenery, logging, and railroads.

Community Demographic and Economic Profile

In terms of population, Sedro-Woolley is one of the fastest growing cities in Skagit County. In 2020, Sedro-Woolley had a population of 12,400 people, a jump of up from 10,540 residents in 2010. As of 2019, the community had a median age of 33.2; in 2020 the median household income grew to $63,840, an increase of 16.3% from $54,887 in 2018.

The two largest ethnic groups in Sedro-Woolley are White (NonHispanic) (74.6%) and Hispanic or Latino (19.2%).

In February 2022, Sedro-Woolley home prices were up 10.7% compared to last year, selling for a median price of $526,000.

Transportation

Sedro-Woolley is served by the Skagit Regional Airport in Burlington (owned and operated by the Port of Skagit, it offers corporate, business and recreational flying services), the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific freight rail lines, Amtrak passenger rail service and a regional transit system. The city is also a half hour drive to the Bellingham International Airport and a oneand-a-half-hour drive to the Sea-Tac International Airport. With city growth expected to occur mostly north of SR20, the Jones/John Liner Trail Road Corridor Projects will provide important east-west corridor relieving traffic congestion on SR20. The projects will also provide pedestrian and non-motorized facilities to enhance connections between neighborhoods.