Agriculture — Timber, dairy, and nursery plants are the top three agricultural products of Snohomish County. Livestock (poultry, mink, beef cattle, horses, pigs, and sheep) and farm crops (hay, berries, fresh market vegetables, corn silage, sweet corn, and vegetable seeds) are also important. Acreage dedicated to farming (crops and livestock) decreased by 18% between 1992 and 1997, while the market value of the products sold increased by 15% (by 27% per farm).

Airports — There are 6 airfields in Snohomish County: Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field) in Everett; Harvey Airfield in Snohomish; Arlington Airport; Sky Harbor Airport in Sultan; Darrington Airport; and First Airfield in Monroe.

Buses — Two public transit systems currently provide service to county residents: Community Transit, with service throughout the county and into Seattle/King County; and Everett Transit, serving Everett residents. Sound Transit, a regional transportation agency, is planning expanded commuter bus services. Several commercial bus lines provide regional and national service.

Ferries — Ferries operated by the Washington Department of Transportation provide frequent service between Edmonds and Kingston (Kitsap County) and between Mukilteo and Clinton on Whidbey Island (Island County). The ferries transport everything from heavy trucks to cars, bicycles, and foot passengers.

Health Care — Snohomish County is a major regional center for health care. It is served by Providence-General Medical Center in Everett, Stevens Memorial Hospital in Lynnwood, Valley General Hospital in Monroe and Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington.

Higher Education — Five state community college districts serve Snohomish County residents: Everett (District 5, est. 1941), Lake Washington Technical (District 26, est. 1949), Shoreline (District 7, est. 1964), Edmonds (District 23, est. 1967), and Cascadia (District 30, est. 1994). The state university system serves county residents through distance education, commuter, and satellite programs. There are a number of private colleges physically located in the county, including Henry Cogswell College in Everett and Puget Sound Christian College in Everett. Courses are offered by a consortium of five state institutions of higher education at a campus located in the Everett Station.

Highways — Interstate 5 is the major north-south transportation route. To the east of Interstate 5 is Highway 9, an important north-south road that connects several of the county's fastest growing cities. Highway 2 starts in Everett and runs southeast across Snohomish County.

Jobs — The Boeing Company is a leading employer in the county with about 20,000 employees at the Everett plant. Electronics, telecommunications, and other high-technology companies are also major employers. Wood-products businesses and farming remain important industries.

Libraries — The City of Everett provides library services to city residents at its main library, founded in 1894. There is also a branch library and bookmobile service. Sno-Isle Regional Library provides library services to Snohomish and Island Counties through 21 branch libraries, a bookmobile unit, and four outreach vans. King County Library System provides library services to all residents of Snohomish County through reciprocal agreements with Sno-Isle and Everett Public. All residents of the county can use the Snohomish County Law Library (located in the county courthouse) and medical libraries located at both campuses of Providence Everett Medical Center.

Museums — Museums in the county include the Snohomish County Museum and Children's Museum, located in Everett; the Edmonds Historical Museum; an historic aviation restoration facility (affiliated with Boeing's Museum of Flight), located at Paine Field; an aviation museum at Arlington Airport; and a dozen local historical museums in the county who are listed with the League of Snohomish County Heritage Organizations.

Native Americans — Three federally-recognized Native American tribes are located in Snohomish County. The Tulalip Tribes, near Marysville, are successor in interest to the Snohomish, Snoqualmie and Skykomish tribes and bands; the Stillaguamish, near Arlington, originally occupied many villages along all branches of the Stillaguamish River; and the Sauk-Suiattle, near Darrington, originally lived along the Sauk and Suiattle Rivers, tributaries of the Skagit River.

Navy — The United States Naval Station Everett, constructed in 1994, is the home port for the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). The 117-acre base employs thousands of personnel, most of whom (all but 450 sailors and civilians) are sailors assigned to ships at sea. Naval support services are located near Arlington.

Port Districts — There are two public port districts in Snohomish County: the Everett Port District and the Port of Edmonds. Each is governed by an elected three-member board of commissioners that serve six-year terms. Ports have the power of eminent domain. Terms are staggered so that a commissioner is elected every two years. The ports operate piers, wharfs, warehouses, and cold storage plants, as well as rail, water, and terminal facilities, including container cargo operations and fishing fleet facilities.

Public Health District — The Snohomish Health District is not a department of Snohomish County government, but is a municipal corporation, governed by a county-city board, responsible for providing a wide range of programs for protecting and promoting public health. The Health District also issues certified copies of birth and death certificates in its role as the local vital statistics registrar for statewide statistics.

Railroads — Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight trains and Seattle/Vancouver Amtrak passenger trains use rail lines that run north and south along the coast. Burlington Northern also uses rails lines that go east/west across Stevens Pass. Sound Transit, a regional transportation agency, is planning to introduce commuter rail service between Snohomish County and areas south.

Recreation — Outdoor activities including fishing, boating, hiking, birding, biking, roller skating, and horseback riding are accommodated by a network of regional, county, community, and neighborhood parks, several small lakes, and the Snohomish River. The Centennial and Interurban Trails are a multi-use trail system that runs from Arlington south to the county border. The Evergreen State Fair in Monroe is the largest county-operated fair in the state. There are 18 public and several private golf courses in the county. The Everett AquaSox, a Class A Minor League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners baseball team, play at Everett Memorial Stadium. Public port districts provide saltwater moorages for small pleasure craft in Everett and Edmonds; private boat moorage on public waterways is also available at various locations including Marysville, Silver Lake, and Lake Stevens.

Schools — There are 15 public school districts in Snohomish County. Elected local school board members employ a district superintendent, adopt annual budgets, and establish school policy. Many church and private schools are also located in the county.

Solid Waste — Garbage, recycling, and yard waste collection are available through municipalities or commercial garbage collectors throughout most of Snohomish County. The county operates ten publicly-accessible solid waste disposal sites: three transfer stations, six drop boxes, and a hazardous waste drop off station. The county also conducts periodic hazardous waste "roundup events" in local communities and maintains twenty-six dome drop-off centers around the county for recyclable items. Snohomish County (Public Works Department) is responsible for ultimate disposal of all solid waste from residences and businesses in the county.

Transportation Hubs — Multimodal transportation centers are being planned at key locations in the county. Everett Transit Center, the first to be completed, opened in 2002.