Location Advantages
Kitsap ranks high in economic development indicators such as educational attainment and skilled workforce; development of intellectual property; per capita economic output; and median household incomes. Our businesses thrive and prosper in a highly competitive marketplace. Click here for the latest economic indicators.
As part of the state of Washington, Kitsap County offers an extremely favorable tax environment for business and citizens. When it comes to best places to make a living based on income taxes, cost of living, unemployment, Washington State: Click here to learn more about why Washington Ranks #1 in US News & World Reports Best States list.
Multi-Mode Access to Markets – Close proximity to rail, deep water ports, airfields, and interstate highway system in uncongested traffic areas.
Largest heavy industrial greenfield site in the Puget Sound Region with adjacent airport Puget Sound Industrial Center – Bremerton (“PSIC-B”) is the region’s largest industrial opportunity, 3,400 greenfield acres surrounding Bremerton National Airport. Zoned and prepped for development, Kitsap County has the largest developable industrially zoned site in Puget Sound, managed by the Port of Bremerton.
Largest public fiber-optic backbone in the United States – 500 miles of high-speed fiber (via Kitsap Public Utility District) supports work-from-home talent, technology firms and defense contractors.
Kitsap is a recognized leader in several key regional economic sectors such as the maritime, defense, manufacturing, health care, technology and tourism industries. Thanks to our longstanding Naval history and multiple high-tech defense installations, Kitsap is also home to the highest concentration of engineering talent in the Seattle area.
Business friendly regulatory environment: The building permit process in Kitsap County is extremely business friendly. Environmental regulations are consistent with federal EPA laws with no local hidden surprises. The area’s airshed is cleaner than many areas, permitting business activities here that are not possible elsewhere.
Workforce: A vast, skilled labor pool generated by the Navy, government contractors and commuters. Naval base Kitsap employs over 31,000 military and civilian personnel, in addition to defense contractor operations. This sector creates a substantial available talent pool that is constantly refreshed. Click here for information on workforce incentives & assets.
Remote workers benefit from state of the art coworking spaces – Vibe Coworks, Office Xpats, Spark Commons, Have-A-Space, The Spot and Bremerton Work Space offer inviting and innovative options for remote workers and startups. For creatives, B Bainbridge Artist Resource Network (BARN) is a unique non-profit community center for artisans and makers, has studios for everything from Electronic & Technical Arts to Woodworking.
Transportation
Airports
Bremerton National Airport is minutes away from almost every location in the county and SeaTac International Airport can be reached in an hour or less by road or ferry.
Public Commuter Services
Kitsap residents skip the long, frustrating commutes common in the Seattle region and travel via the uncongested and well-connected highway system that traverses the county. Kitsap residents working in the Seattle area commute aboard Washington State Ferries which offers services to Seattle and points North and South from Kingston, Bainbridge Island, Bremerton, and Port Orchard. Bus and vanpool services are available from Kitsap and Seattle Transit.
Kitsap Transit provides passenger-only Fast Ferry service to downtown Seattle from Bremerton, Kingston and Southworth.
Kitsap Access, part of Kitsap Transit, offers shuttle services to the elderly and people with special needs. Paratransit Services, a private, non-profit organization, offers transit services to individuals receiving Medicaid services.
Ferries
Washington State Ferries travel from four Kitsap terminals, making access to suppliers, workforce, visitors, customers a less stressful trip than those on crowded freeways.
- Seattle-Bainbridge
- Seattle-Bremerton
- Edmonds-Kingston
- Southworth-West Seattle
Kitsap Transit’s Fast Ferry routes provide rapid service from Seattle to Bremerton, Kingston and Southworth, and the foot ferry between Port Orchard and Bremerton makes commutes a breeze for South Kitsap residents.
Highway Connections
- State Highway 16 south to Tacoma over the Narrows Bridge, spanning the Tacoma Narrows.
- State Highway 3 southwest to Shelton and on to Olympia, the state capital.
- State Highway 3 northwest across the Hood Canal Bridge to the scenic Olympic Peninsula and its centuries-old rain forests in Olympic National Park.
International, Commercial and Commuter Airports
- Bremerton National Airport's FAA certified all-weather, fully lighted 6,000 foot runway accommodates general aviation and jet aircraft.
- Port of Poulsbo’s marina seaplane base can handle general aviation craft up to 12,000’
- Apex Airpark is a private airfield with a 2500’ runway
- SeaTac International Airport can be reached in an hour or less by road or ferry
Rail Service
- Puget Sound & Pacific Railroad, owned by Rail America and headquartered in Elma, Washington, provides rail service to a number of locations in the southern and central portions of Kitsap County, including Olympic View Industrial Park, adjacent to Bremerton National Airport. The railway’s routes are:
- Bremerton Jct – Bremerton, WA (4.6 miles)
- Centralia – Elma – Aberdeen – Hoquiam, WA (73.5 miles)
- Elma – Shelton – Bremerton Jct – Bangor, WA (68 miles)
- Centralia (Lakeside Siding) – Chehalis, WA
- Chehalis – Curtis, WA
- Puget Sound and Pacific Railroad routes intersect in Centralia with BNSF Railway Company and Union Pacific Railroad; and in Shelton with Simpson Timber Company’s railway line.
Water Transport
- Kitsap County has expedited access to three deep-water ports in Grays Harbor, Seattle and Tacoma
- Multiple marinas throughout the county create welcoming havens for boaters and tour boats
Pracel Carriers
- Federal Express and United Parcel Service have distribution centers in Bremerton, servicing the entire county
- Commuter air cargo is also available from Bremerton National Airport to Seattle Tacoma International airport.
- In 2020 Amazon built a new 117,000 square-foot facility facilitating last-mile delivery, situated adjacent to Bremerton National Airport
- Several private trucking lines serve the county, carrying supplies in and product out.
Commercial & Industry Services
Kitsap County is connected to major shipping routes via land, sea, and air. Accessible local highways give businesses fast access to Tacoma, Seattle, and interstate trucking routes. Commercial vehicles, with some restrictions, are also welcome aboard Washington State ferries.
Shipping lanes throughout Puget Sound were designed to accommodate the largest Naval ships and are also used frequently for commercial shipping and transportation. A number of marinas and boat yards in the county can accommodate large, commercial ships and boats.