County · code 53017
Douglas CountyWashington
Douglas County is a county in Washington, with its seat in Waterville. It was formed in 1883 from Lincoln County and named after Stephen A. Douglas.
- Founded1883
- County seatWaterville
- Named forStephen A. Douglas
- Land area1,819 sq mi + 30 sq mi water
- Population42,938 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped29,853 checked 15 October 2026
Where it is
Douglas on the map of Washington
Washington has 39 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1883 from Lincoln County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Douglas County was created by Washington Territory on November 28, 1883, from Lincoln County. When Washington became a state in 1889, Douglas County continued as a county of the new state. On February 24, 1909, Douglas County lost territory to the creation of Grant County.
- 1883Douglas County created Douglas created by Washington Territory from Lincoln. · Wash. Terr. Laws 1883, 9th biennial sess., p. 95
- 1889Became part of Washington Douglas continued as a Washington county when the state of Washington admitted to the Union and Washington Territory eliminated. · U.S. Stat., vol. 25, ch. 180[1889], p. 676; U.S. Stat. pres. proc., vol. 26[1889], p. 10; Van Zandt, 155-156
- 1909Lost territory Douglas lost to creation of Grant. · Wash. Laws 1909, 11th leg. sess., ch. 17/pp. 19-25
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Douglas
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 29,853 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 24 September 2026 · checked 15 October 2026 -
Address points Missing
No public address points layer found for Douglas County yet.
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Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Douglas by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Permits
County government
- County government
The official website of Douglas County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Douglas County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Douglas County
- When was Douglas County founded?
- Douglas County was founded in 1883, formed from Lincoln County, and named after Stephen A. Douglas.
- What is the county seat of Douglas County?
- The county seat of Douglas County is Waterville.
- Is there an online parcel map for Douglas County?
- Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 29,853 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Douglas County's boundary or name changed?
- Douglas County was created in 1883 from Lincoln County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 2 later changes, chiefly involving Grant County.
- Who issues building permits in Douglas County?
- The county's page on building permits: Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Douglas County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby