Kent Valley: Four Communities in One Dynamic Air and Space Economy

Kent Valley is one of Washington State’s most dynamic industrial corridors, anchored by the cities of Kent, Tukwila, Renton, and Auburn. Together, these communities drive a wide range of economic activity—from aerospace and advanced manufacturing to logistics. While each city contributes distinct strengths, its shared infrastructure, interconnected supply chains, and skilled workforce create a unified engine for growth. This collective impact not only sustains Washington’s competitiveness across multiple sectors but also positions Kent Valley as the epicenter of the state’s rapidly growing space economy and the leading hub for traditional aerospace manufacturing.

Kent Valley - Mission Control for Seattle’s Space Economy

Kent Valley’s role as the region’s leader for space innovation is often under-credited. However, upon closer examination, it is plain to see that Kent Valley’s companies, workforce, and infrastructure position it as the focal point for the orbit of Puget Sound’s new space economy.

While the cities of Seattle’s Eastside are home to headline-making programs such as Amazon’s Project Kuiper in Bellevue and SpaceX’s Redmond engineering facility for Starlink, these represent just part of the regional picture. The Puget Sound’s space economy is far more than brand names—and the heart of that industry is in Kent Valley.

Kent Valley’s ecosystem includes not only globally recognized anchor firms such as Blue Origin, Stoke Space, BlackSky (formerly LeoStella), and Starfish Space, but also an extensive network of suppliers, advanced materials manufacturers, propulsion specialists, and orbital service innovators. This concentration drives production, testing, and integration at a scale the Eastside cannot match.

Based on employment data for key industries related to satellite manufacturing—including the production of aeronautical navigation instruments, wireless communications equipment, and missile and space vehicles—Kent Valley stands out as a significantly stronger employment hub. Kent Valley supports 3,121 jobs in these sectors, compared to 1,421 on Seattle’s Eastside, indicating that Kent Valley’s space manufacturing workforce is 2.2 times larger than the Eastside's. Kent Valley’s unique mix of aerospace heritage, multimodal freight infrastructure, and year-round testing capabilities has positioned it as the regional launchpad for space industry employment and innovation.

Kent Valley – Washington’s Aerospace Engine

Kent Valley stands as the economic jet engine of Washington State’s aerospace industry. Within King County — which includes the city of Seattle — Kent Valley leads the way, accounting for 35% of the state’s total aerospace manufacturing impact. By contrast, Seattle’s Eastside contributes just 3%. This makes Kent Valley not only King County’s aerospace leader but also one of the most critical clusters in the state.

Looking beyond the county to the broader Puget Sound region, Kent Valley remains a leading hub for aerospace manufacturing. Snohomish County is home to Boeing’s wide-body plant in Everett — the world’s largest building by volume. However, Kent Valley also hosts world-renowned facilities with Boeing asserting that its facility in Renton is the most efficient airplane factory in the world. Moreover, in terms of aerospace manufacturing establishments, Kent Valley and Snohomish achieve parity, with both localities boasting six establishments per 10,000 residents.

Across the state, Spokane, the largest metropolitan area in Eastern Washington, serves as an aerospace hub specializing in maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) operations and composites and parts manufacturing that support Boeing and other major programs. Spokane’s aerospace sector generates roughly $1.2 billion in economic output— less than one-twentieth the scale of Kent Valley’s cluster—and supports about 8,000 jobs. By contrast, Kent Valley’s aerospace industry directly and indirectly sustains more than 42,000 jobs, underscoring its preeminence in aircraft manufacturing and its role as the primary driver of Washington’s global competitiveness in the industry.

Four in One – The Communities of Kent Valley

Kent Valley’s contributions to Washington’s economy are rooted in its leadership across the full spectrum of aerospace. Its four communities collectively form a center of excellence for aircraft production and the development of space systems. Kent Valley’s diverse industrial base supports legacy industries and emerging technologies, enabling resilience and sustained growth. These strengths are rooted in the unique assets, competitive advantages, and vibrant economies of Kent, Tukwila, Renton, and Auburn. Each of these cities plays a distinct yet complementary role in making Kent Valley one of the most productive and innovative industrial regions in the Pacific Northwest.

City of Kent – Launchpad for Innovation and Production

The City of Kent anchors Kent Valley’s role as Washington’s most diverse aerospace manufacturing hub. Kent is home to a dense network of suppliers that produce precision components, materials, and subsystems, which feed into commercial aviation and spaceflight programs. This manufacturing base makes the city indispensable to the state’s aerospace supply chain, supporting thousands of jobs and extending Washington’s global reach in aviation.

Kent also hosts Puget Sound’s highest concentration of space companies. Blue Origin’s headquarters and production campus anchor a thriving cluster. Stoke Space, another reusable rocket OEM and recent recipient of $510 million in Series D funding, is also headquartered in Kent.  Together with its supplier network, Kent combines the legacy strengths of aerospace manufacturing with next-generation innovation, positioning the city as both a production powerhouse and a launchpad for the future of space exploration.

City of Tukwila – Gateway for Aerospace Propulsion and Trade

Tukwila plays a key role in the Kent Valley’s space ecosystem through its specialization in propulsion systems. Aerojet Rocketdyne’s facility manufactures rocket propulsion for NASA and defense programs, producing engines and components critical to national and commercial space missions. Additionally, the city hosts firms such as Fatigue Technology, which provides advanced materials testing, and Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, which manufactures aerospace-grade seals and molded components, further strengthening Tukwila’s connections to traditional aviation manufacturing. With immediate access to Sea-Tac International Airport, major freeways, and freight rail, Tukwila also serves as a logistical gateway, ensuring seamless movement of aerospace parts and products across the region.

City of Renton – Aerospace Legacy and Emerging Technology Hub

Renton is best known for hosting Boeing’s 737 final assembly plant, one of Washington’s most significant aerospace facilities and a global symbol of efficiency and high-volume aircraft production. This legacy is reinforced by suppliers like Sekisui Aerospace, a leading producer of composite structures and assemblies for commercial and defense aircraft, and Northwest Seaplanes, a floating aircraft maintenance facility on Lake Washington that extends Renton’s role in servicing and sustaining aviation fleets. Together, these assets underscore the city’s longstanding contribution to traditional aerospace manufacturing and its significance in supporting the state’s production and maintenance of commercial aircraft.

Building on this foundation, Renton is also home to Radian Aerospace, a pioneering developer of a reusable single-stage-to-orbit spaceplane. Radian’s innovative approach to orbital access reflects the next generation of aerospace research and development emerging from Kent Valley. With strong transportation connectivity via I-405, SR-167, and Renton Municipal Airport, Renton integrates legacy aircraft production with forward-looking space innovation, establishing its role as a historic and evolving hub in Washington’s aerospace economy.

City of Auburn – Strategic Partner for Aerospace through Advanced Manufacturing

Auburn plays a critical role in Washington’s traditional aerospace supply chain as the site of Boeing’s Machine Fabrication Facility, one of the company’s largest manufacturing centers. This facility produces complex machined parts, tooling, and assemblies for commercial aircraft programs worldwide, anchoring Auburn’s long-standing position as a cornerstone of aviation manufacturing. The city’s industrial base is further strengthened by a network of suppliers that provide precision machining, fabrication, and assembly services, reinforcing its reputation for advanced manufacturing expertise.

Building on this foundation, Auburn is also home to capabilities that align with the emerging needs of the space sector. The Boeing Center of Additive Manufacturing Excellence (BAM) is a regional leader in aerospace 3D printing, producing lightweight, high-tolerance components critical for space applications. Tessera’s 50,000-square-foot facility expands capacity for advanced fabrication, while Orion Aerospace provides high-precision machining and assembly services that meet the rigorous standards of both aviation and space customers. These assets position Auburn as a strategic partner for Kent Valley’s space companies, ensuring that the city’s traditional manufacturing strengths translate directly into support for next-generation aerospace innovation.

The Synergy Shaping Kent Valley's Economic Future

Kent Valley stands as a testament to the power of regional collaboration, where four distinct cities align their strengths to create one of Washington State’s most productive and resilient industrial hubs. From Kent’s unmatched concentration of space companies to Tukwila’s propulsion expertise, Renton’s aerospace legacy, and Auburn’s advanced manufacturing capabilities, each community plays a critical role in shaping Kent Valley’s future in air and space. This synergy fuels innovation, drives global competitiveness, and ensures the region remains a leader in legacy aerospace and next-generation space industries. Together, Kent, Tukwila, Renton, and Auburn form not just a corridor — but an engine for sustained growth.