Coupeville, Washington, United States

🇺🇸 Coupeville is a town on Whidbey Island, in Island County, Washington, United States. It is the county seat of Island County.

History Prior to European settlement, Coupeville and the bay in which it is located, Penn Cove, was inhabited by the Lower Skagit, a Lushootseed-speaking Coast Salish people. There were three villages around the bay, with the largest being at bəc̓adᶻali, meaning "snake place", the site of present day Coupeville. There was an abundance of salmon, clams, and other resources, as well as offering easy access to the water, making it an excellent village site.

When Europeans arrived to explore the Puget Sound, it was Joseph Whidbey who first visited the bay, naming it Penn Cove in honor of his good friend. Captain George Vancouver later wrote after meeting the Skagit at the village that their population had quickly fallen due to disease.

Coupeville was laid out in the 1850s by Captain Thomas Coupe, and named for him.

Coupeville was officially incorporated on April 20, 1910.

Coupeville is a historic district within the federal Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve. The reserve was established by Congress in 1978 as the first and only National Historical Reserve in the nation. Its 22 square miles (57 km²) also encompass farmlands, Fort Ebey State Park, Fort Casey State Park, shorelines and beaches, parks, trails, and 91 buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places.

For pop culture and film fans, Coupeville is a film location for the cult classic film Practical Magic. The 1990s witchy hit starred Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman.

Geography Coupeville is located near the centre of Whidbey Island, which lies in Puget Sound between the mainland and the Olympic Peninsula. On the north side of downtown is Penn Cove, an inlet of the Saratoga Passage. The city is part of the Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, which also includes Fort Ebey State Park to the west.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.23 square miles (3.19 km²), all of it land.

Demographics As of the census of 2010, there were 1,831 people, 806 households, and 428 families living in the town. The population density was 1,488.6 inhabitants per square mile (574.8/km²). There were 933 housing units at an average density of 758.5 per square mile (292.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 87.2% White, 1.6% African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.9% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 4.2% from other races, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.0% of the population.

There were 806 households, of which 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 46.9% were non-families. 40.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.77.

The median age in the town was 51.1 years. 17.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.1% were from 25 to 44; 29.9% were from 45 to 64; and 27.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 44.3% male and 55.7% female.

Economy In 1987, 42 percent of the county's population were employed by the military. Major employers in Coupeville are Island County and WhidbeyHealth Medical Center.

Service and retail businesses serve the island population and visitors attracted to the town's historic waterfront district and Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve. Retail businesses are located along North and South Main Street, Coveland, and Front Street along the waterfront. In addition to 11 restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops, stores include art galleries, gourmet food, clothing, souvenir, and home decor retailers. With few exceptions, these businesses are operated by individual local owners.