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› Comparative Data - Number of Special Purpose Districts
Updated 02/2009
Comparative Data - Number of Special Purpose Districts
Note that the number of districts may vary depending on the source of information and how the term "special purpose district" is defined. See What is a Special District? for additional information.
| District | Date Created | Enabling Statute (RCW) | Number 01/09 | Number in 2004 | Number DOR Tax Code Areas (3/02) | 1963 Units of Govt** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution Control Authorities | 1957, 1967 | Ch. 70.94 RCW | 7 | 8 | NA | NA |
| Airport Districts, County | 1945 | RCW 14.08.290-.330 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Cemetery Districts | 1947 | Ch. 68.52 RCW | 103 | 105 | 101 | 44 |
| Conservation Districts | 1939 | Ch. 89.08 RCW | 47 | 48 | 74 | |
| County Rail Districts | 1983 | Ch. 36.60 RCW | 1 | None | NA | |
| Cultural Arts, Stadium, and Convention Districts | 1982 | Ch. 67.38 RCW | None |
None | 1 | NA |
| Diking and Drainage Districts | Title 85 RCW | 107 | 112 | 194 | ||
| Diking Districts | 1895 | Ch. 85.05 RCW | Above | Above | Above | |
| Diking & Drainage Districts in Two or More Counties (Intercounty Diking and Drainage Districts) | 1909 | Ch.. 85.24 RCW | Above | Above | Above | |
| Diking, Drainage and Irrigation Improvement Districts; Drainage and Irrigation Improvement district - Improvement Districts - 1933 Act | 1933 | Ch. 85.22 RCW | Above | Above | Above | |
| Diking, Drainage, Sewerage Improvement Districts - revised by Diking, Drainage, and Sewerage Improvement Districts - 1967 Act | 1913 | Ch. 85.08 RCW, Ch. 85.15 RCW | Above | Above | Above | |
| Drainage Districts | 1895 | Ch. 85.06 RCW | Above | Above | Above | |
| Drainage Improvement Districts; Diking Improvement Districts - Improvement Districts - 1917 Act (reorganization of Diking or Drainage Dist) | 1917 | Ch. 85.20 RCW | Above | Above | Above | |
| Sewage Improvement Districts- formerly under Title 85 RCW | 1923 | RCW 57.04.120-.130 | Above | Above | Above | |
| Emergency Medical Service Districts | 1979 | RCW 36.32.480 | 6 | 1 | NA | NA |
| Emergency Service Communication District | 1987 | RCW 82.14B.070-.100 | 2 | 2 | NA | NA |
| Fire Protection Districts | 1933 | Title 52 RCW | 373 | 391 | 394 | 332 |
| Regional Fire Protection Service Authority | 2004 | Ch. 52.26 RCW | 4 | NA | NA | NA |
| Flood Control | 10 | 16 | 1 | |||
| Flood Control by Counties Jointly - 1913 Act (Intercounty) | 1913 | Ch. 86.13 RCW | Above | Above | ||
| Flood Control Districts - 1935 Act | 1935, Repealed 1965 | Ch.86.05 RCW | Above | Above | 3 | |
| Flood Control Districts - 1937 Act | 1937 | Ch. 86.09 RCW | Above | Above | 9 | |
| Flood Control Zone Districts | 1961 | Ch. 86.15 RCW | 10 | 19 | 18 | |
| Health Districts | 1945 | Ch. 70.46 RCW | 12 | 13 | 9 | |
| Housing | ||||||
| Public Housing Authorities | 1939 | Ch. 35.82 RCW | 41 | 33 | 23 | |
| Joint City-County Housing Authorities | 1980 | RCW 35.82.300 | Above | Above | NA | |
| Irrigation and Reclamation | 98 | 97 | 2 | 91 | ||
| Irrigation Districts | 1890 | Ch. 87.03 RCW | Above | Above | Above | |
| Irrigation and Rehabilitation Districts | 1961 | Ch. 87.84 RCW | Above | Above | Above | |
| Reclamation and Irrigation Districts in Reclamation Areas | 1943 | Ch. 89.12 RCW | Above | Above | Above | |
| Reclamation Districts of One Million Acres | 1927 | Ch. 89.30 RCW | Above | Above | Above | |
| Library Districts | Ch. 27.12 RCW | 23 | 24 | 39 | ||
| Inter-County Rural Library Districts | 1947 | RCW 27.12.090 | Above | Above | 5 | |
| Island Library Districts | 1982 | RCW 27.12.400 - .450 | Above | Above | NA | |
| Library Capital Facility Area | 1995 | Ch 27.15 RCW | 10 | 9 | 8 | NA |
| Regional Library Districts | 1935 | RCW 27.12.080 | Above | Above | Included with other library districts | |
| Rural County Library Districts | 1941 | RCW 27.12.040 - .070 | Above | Above | 10 | |
| Rural Partial Library Districts | 1993 | RCW 27.12.470 | Above | Above | NA | |
| Mosquito Control Districts | 1957 | Ch. 17.28 RCW | 17 | 15 | 14 | 5 |
| Metropolitan Park Districts | 1907 | Ch. 35.61 RCW | 8 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Park and Recreation Districts | 1957 | Ch. 36.69 RCW | 42 | 52 | 54 | 4 |
| Park and Recreation Service Areas | 1963 | RCW 36.68.400 - .620 | 7 | 7 | - | NA |
| Joint Park and Recreation District | 1979 | RCW 36.68.420 - .460 | Above | 1 | - | - |
| Port Districts | 1911 | Title 53 RCW | 75 | 76 | 76 | 72 |
| Public Facilities Districts | 1988 - county; 1999 - city |
Ch. 36.100 RCW counties, Ch. 35.57 RCW cities/towns | 21 | 22 | NA | |
| Public Hospital Districts | 1945 | Ch. 70.44 RCW | 56 | 57 | 56 | 33 |
| Rural Public Hospital Districts (defined) | 1992 | RCW 70.44.450-.460 | Above | Above | NA | |
| Public Stadium Authority | 1997 | Ch. 36.102 RCW | 1 | 1 | NA | |
| Public Utility Districts | 1931 | Title 54 RCW | 27 | 30 | 30 | |
| Roads and Bridges Service Districts | 1983 | Ch. 36.83 RCW | 1 | Unknown | 1 | NA |
| School Districts | 1889 | Ch. 28A.315 RCW | 296 | 296 | 296 | 408 |
| Joint School Districts | 1897 | Ch. 28A.323 RCW | Above | Above | NA | |
| Solid Waste Disposal Districts |
1982 |
RCW 36.58.100 | 2 |
2 |
NA |
NA |
| Television Assessment Districts | 1971 | Ch. 36.95 RCW | 6 | 10 | NA | NA |
| City Transportation Authority (Monorail) | 2002 | Ch. 35.95A RCW, Laws 2002, ch. 248 | None | 1 | NA | NA |
| County Public Transportation Authority | 1974 | Ch. 36.57 RCW | 2 | 1 | NA | NA |
| Ferry Districts, Passenger Only | 2003 | Ch 36.54.110-.190 RCW, Laws of 2003, ch. 83 | 1 | 0 | NA | NA |
| Public Transportation Benefit Area | 1975 | Ch. 36.57A RCW | 21 | 19 | NA | |
| Regional Transit Authorities | 1992 | RCW 81.112 | 1 | 1 | NA | NA |
| Regional Transportation Investment Districts | 2002 | None |
None |
NA | NA | |
| Unincorporated Transportation Benefit Areas (UTBA) | 1975 | RCW 36.57.100 | 1 | 1 | NA | |
| Transportation Benefit District | 1989 | Ch. 36.73 RCW, RCW 35.21.225 for cities | 5 | 1 | 1 | NA |
| Water-Sewer Districts (Water-Sewer Districts, Water Districts, Sewer Districts) | Sewer Dist 1941; water dist 1913; water-sewer consolidation 1971 | Title 57 RCW - Districts reclassified, formerly Title 56 RCW (sewer districts), Title 57 RCW (water districts), reclassification 1997 | 185 | 209 | 126 water, 39 sewer | 194 |
| Other Types of Special Governments | ||||||
| Legal Authorities (Hydroelectric) - Irrigation Districts - Interlocal | 1983 | RCW 87.03.825 - .840 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Metropolitan Municipal Corporations | 1957 | Ch. 35.58 RCW and Ch. 36.56 RCW | None | None | 2 | |
| Operating Agencies (Electricity Generation and Distribution, Cities and PUD) - Interlocal | 1981 | Ch. 43.52 RCW | 1 | 1 | ||
| Weed Districts - note change in legislation, Noxious Weed Control Boards RCW 17.10.900 |
1921 | Ch. 17.04 RCW | 11 | 10 | 5 | 15 |
| Inter-County Regular Weed Districts | 1959 | Ch. 17.06 RCW | Above | 2 | ||
| TOTAL DISTRICTS | 1644 | 1745 | 1545 | 2123 | ||
| ** Appendix C, Governmental Units in the State of Washington in Special Districts in the State of Washington. Report No. 150. Seattle: University of Washington, Bureau of Government Research & Services, 1963. | ||||||
Related MRSC Resources
MRSC Index - Special Purpose Districts - General