Notorious in the state for its agricultural products, including Walla Walla Sweet Onions and delicious wine grapes, Walla Walla County is a fertile, relatively prosperous county hosting a stable economy and industry diversity. South of Franklin County, east of Benton County and west of Columbia County, Walla Walla County is part of the Columbia River drainage basin, which contributes to its fertile lands and provides the basis for the county’s irrigation systems. Walla Walla County, like those around it, relies primarily on agriculture to generate income, though the service industry—aided by the presence of Whitman College in the town of Walla Walla—also employs a large amount of the county’s residents. Walla Walla County has also benefited from increasing amounts of tourism to Eastern Washington’s wine country, bolstered especially by international recognition of the excellence of Walla Walla wines.
Though the county’s economy continues to be based in agriculture, Walla Walla County has seen a growth in tourism and service related industries as more people visit the region. With the growth of both the tourism and service industries, Walla Walla County’s economy will continue to diversify.
County Seat: Walla Walla
Incorporation Date: April 25, 1854
Form of Government: General Law
Area: 1,270 sq mi (3,289 km2)
Population: 62,200 (2019)
Etymology: The Walla Walla tribe, also a Nez Percé name for running water