County profiles
This profile gives details about Washington state's labor economy. You can learn about each of Washington's counties in their individual profiles.
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June 2026 state highlights
Updated July 2026
Compared to May 2026, the unemployment rate decreased from 4.8% to 4.7% (190,041 unemployed individuals). Employers reported21,100 more jobs on payrolls (for a total of 3,676,000 jobs).
Washington's labor market highlights
- The last several years have been interesting. Washington lost 430,000 jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic recession but rebounded quickly, along with the nation.
- Total nonfarm employment reached pre-pandemic levels by summer 2022. Within that, some industries, such as information, recovered within months of the crisis. Others, such as manufacturing, remain below pre-pandemic employment levels five years later.
- The relatively quick jobs recovery led to an exceptionally tight labor market in 2021-2022 as employer demand surged and labor market participation only partially recovered. 2023 and 2024 marked a turning point.
- The high employment growth characterizing the Covid recovery slowed overall, and employment patterns began to shift. Some notable downward shifts occurred in the information sector that experienced some significant downsizing, and construction. Over the past several months, growth has effectively paused.
- A few industries such as health care continue to add jobs, but employment counts in most sectors in 2025 have hovered around or dropped slightly below the levels observed in 2024.
Contact Washington's chief labor economist
Anneliese Vance-Sherman
- Email Anneliese: anneliese.vance-sherman@esd.wa.gov
- Call Anneliese: 564-900-0748
Workforce development areas
Region and metropolitan areas
Washington is part of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ west region. It includes the following Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs):
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue MSA
- Seattle-Bellevue MD (part of Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue MSA)
- Tacoma-Lakewood MD (part of Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue MSA)
- Everett MD (part of Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue MSA)
- Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater MSA
- Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard MSA
- Mount Vernon-Anacortes MSA
- Portland (Ore.)-Vancouver (Wash.)-Hillsboro (Ore.) MSA
- Longview MSA
- Spokane-Spokane Valley MSA
- Kennewick-Richland MSA
- Walla Walla MSA
- Yakima MSA
- Bellingham MSA
- Wenatchee MSA
Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics website for more about information about Washington.
Employment updates for June 2026
Changes to the labor force and unemployment
The June 2026 unemployment rate was 4.7% in Washington state and 4.4% in the United States.
| Measure | June 2026 | May 2026 | June 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participant (labor force) | 4,023,826 | 4,067,121 | 4,053,014 |
| Employed persons | 3,833,785 | 3,871,244 | 3,879,615 |
| Persons seeking work | 190,041 | 195,877 | 173,399 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.8% | 4.3% |
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research (LMIR) Division, Local area unemployment statistics (LAUS)
Washington unemployment rate, January 2024 - June 2026
Washington's unemployment rate typically tracks well with the national rate. The unemployment rate has been in the 4% to 5% range since 2022. Over the past year, the unemployment rate has been increasing gradually, signaling an increasingly challenging market for job seekers.
| Year | Jan. | Feb. | Mar. | Apr. | May | Jun. | Jul. | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5.0% | 5.1% | 4.7% | 4.1% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.1% | 4.2% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
|
4.7% | 5.0% | 4.6% | 4.2% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.6% | 4.7% | 4.5% | N/A | 5.3% | 5.3% |
|
5.8% | 5.7% | 5.1% | 5.1% | 4.8% | 4.7% |
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research (LMIR) Division, Local area unemployment statistics (LAUS). BLS canceled October 2025's unemployment publications.
Key changes in payroll employment
This includes all employees with paid positions tracked in a company’s payroll system. This doesn’t include agriculture jobs or jobs outside of formal payroll such as freelancers, contractors and self-employed individuals. Numbers in this section are estimates generated by a monthly survey.
In June 2026, Washington state had 3,676,000 jobs.
Compared with May 2026, June employment increased by 21,100 jobs.
- 10,500 more leisure and hospitality jobs. The leisure and hospitality sector led growth in June. The largest increases were observed in restaurants and bars and were likely related to the World Cup games in Seattle.
- 2,800 more information jobs. The information sector has some seasonality partially tied to summer internships. Employment increased in June, with 1,800 new jobs attributable to software publishing.
- 2,800 fewer private education and health services jobs. School is out for the summer! Although the private educational component is smaller than health care, the dip in employment in educational services outnumbered the increase on the healthcare side. Private educational services shed 4,200 jobs in June.
- 2,400 fewer government jobs. Government employment typically falls in June in large part because of public school districts, community and technical colleges and universities. State government education employment dropped by 4,800 in June and local education dropped by 1,200.
Compared with June 2025, this June’s employment was down by 1,200 (0.0%) jobs.
- 6,100 (1.7%) more leisure and hospitality jobs. Over the year, employment in arts, entertainment and recreation was up 5,100 and employment in accommodation and food services was up 1,000.
- 3,800 (1.4%) more manufacturing jobs. The largest increases in manufacturing came from aerospace products and parts manufacturers which collectively increased employment by 4,600.
- 2,200 (1.0%) more construction jobs. Growth in construction was evident in specialty trades (up 1,700) and construction of buildings (up 800). Heavy and civil engineering construction was down 300 over the year.
- 5,100 (0.8%) fewer government jobs. The deepest losses in public sector employment came from cuts at the federal level. Federal civilian employment was down 3,400 relative to June 2025.
Employment estimates for Washington
See a snapshot of this month's data below. A detailed spreadsheet titled Current employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted is on the source page of our site.
Total jobs
| Industry sector | Jun. 2026 | May 2026 | Jun. 2025 | May 2026 to Jun. 2026 |
Jun. 2025 to Jun. 2026 |
Jun. 2025 to Jun. 2026 % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total nonfarm | 3,676,000 | 3,654,900 | 3,677,200 | 21,100 | -1,200 | 0.0% |
| - Private | 3,051,700 | 3,028,200 | 3,047,800 | 23,500 | 3,900 | 0.1% |
| - Government | 624,300 | 626,700 | 629,400 | -2,400 | -5,100 | -0.8% |
Goods-producing jobs
| Industry sector | Jun. 2026 | May 2026 | Jun. 2025 | May 2026 to Jun. 2026 |
Jun. 2025 to Jun. 2026 |
Jun. 2025 to Jun. 2026 % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goods-producing | 506,700 | 503,000 | 500,800 | 3,700 | 5,900 | 1.2% |
| - Mining and logging | 5,100 | 5,000 | 5,200 | 100 | -100 | -1.9% |
| - Construction | 225,300 | 223,200 | 223,100 | 2,100 | 2,200 | 1.0% |
| - Manufacturing | 276,300 | 274,800 | 272,500 | 1,500 | 3,800 | 1.4% |
Service-providing jobs
| Industry sector | Jun. 2026 | May 2026 | Jun. 2025 | May 2026 to Jun. 2026 |
Jun. 2025 to Jun. 2026 |
Jun. 2025 to Jun. 2026 % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service-providing | 3,169,300 | 3,151,900 | 3,176,400 | 17,400 | -7,100 | -0.2% |
| - Wholesale trade | 131,200 | 130,100 | 133,500 | 1,100 | -2,300 | -1.7% |
| - Retail trade | 326,400 | 325,400 | 331,100 | 1,000 | -4,700 | -1.4% |
| - Transportation, warehousing, and utilities | 162,300 | 160,700 | 159,400 | 1,600 | 2,900 | 1.8% |
| - Information | 161,300 | 158,500 | 164,500 | 2,800 | -3,200 | -1.9% |
| - Financial activities | 162,400 | 160,200 | 163,900 | 2,200 | -1,500 | -0.9% |
| - Professional and business services | 544,000 | 543,600 | 544,900 | 400 | -900 | -0.2% |
| - Private education and health services | 566,400 | 569,200 | 564,800 | -2,800 | 1,600 | 0.3% |
| - Leisure and hospitality | 364,300 | 353,800 | 358,200 | 10,500 | 6,100 | 1.7% |
| - Other services | 126,700 | 123,700 | 126,700 | 3,000 | 0 | 0.0% |
| - Government | 624,300 | 626,700 | 629,400 | -2,400 | -5,100 | -0.8% |
Note: Data benchmarked through December 2025, updated July 15, 2026. The current month’s data is preliminary. Analysts continue to refine past months as more related information becomes available. Industry columns use North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) industry titles. Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research Division, Washington employment estimates (WA-QB & CES)
Employment details for industries and sectors
This profile section uses the latest Quarterly Census of Employment and Wage (QCEW) annual averages data.
This quarterly census data includes both agricultural and nonagricultural employment and wages for firms, organizations and individuals with employees covered by the Washington State Employment Security Act. Covered employment refers to the total number of employees with this type of coverage.
Top sectors by employment
2024’s annual average was 3,577,071 total covered employees.
- Government - 591,342 jobs.
- Healthcare and social assistance - 471,140 jobs.
- Retail trade - 328,496 jobs.
- Accommodation and food services - 283,539 jobs.
- Manufacturing - 271,063 jobs.
Top sectors by wages
2024’s annual average wage was $92,467 for covered employees.
- Management of companies and enterprises - $276,463.
- Information - $275,718.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services - 147,540.
- Utilities - $136,763.
- Finance and insurance - $134,545.
2024 annual average employment by industry
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research (LMIR) Division, Covered Employment (QCEW)
Workforce demographics for Washington state
Age
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate |
Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population 16 years and over | 6,336,814 | 64.5% | 5.1% |
| 16 to 19 years | 370,387 | 39.4% | 16.8% |
| 20 to 24 years | 482,036 | 79.1% | 9.0% |
| 25 to 29 years | 567,313 | 85.2% | 5.2% |
| 30 to 34 years | 620,865 | 83.8% | 4.8% |
| 35 to 44 years | 1,120,410 | 83.6% | 4.3% |
| 45 to 54 years | 936,511 | 82.1% | 3.6% |
| 55 to 59 years | 453,094 | 74.8% | 4.1% |
| 60 to 64 years | 487,013 | 58.8% | 3.4% |
| 65 to 74 years | 788,312 | 24.9% | 3.8% |
Race and Hispanic or Latino origin
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate |
Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White alone | 4,332,121 | 61.9% | 4.8% |
| Black or African American alone | 245,692 | 69.4% | 7.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone | 71,598 | 61.2% | 8.0% |
| Asian alone | 648,495 | 70.4% | 3.6% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone | 43,368 | 68.9% | 6.2% |
| Some other race alone | 331,672 | 72.1% | 5.6% |
| Two or more races | 663,868 | 70.2% | 6.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) | 772,805 | 72.6% | 6.2% |
| White alone, not Hispanic or Latino | 4,196,124 | 61.5% | 4.8% |
| Population 20 to 64 years | 4,667,242 | 79.6% | 4.7% |
Sex
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate |
Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 2,389,162 | 84.6% | 4.8% |
| Female | 2,278,080 | 74.4% | 4.6% |
Females with children
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate |
Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| With own children under 18 years | 779,891 | 72.2% | 4.3% |
| With own children under 6 years only | 181,805 | 70.0% | 4.9% |
| With own children under 6 years and 6 to 17 years | 153,447 | 61.6% | 5.8% |
| With own children 6 to 17 years only | 444,639 | 76.8% | 3.7% |
Poverty status over the past 12 months
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate |
Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below poverty level | 433,360 | 44.8% | 22.9% |
| At or above the poverty level | 4,176,310 | 83.8% | 3.7% |
Disability status
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate |
Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| With any disability | 520,588 | 52.4% | 10.2% |
Educational attainment
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate |
Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population 25 to 64 years | 4,185,206 | 79.7% | 4.2% |
| Less than high school graduate | 327,710 | 65.6% | 7.2% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 886,041 | 73.5% | 5.6% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 1,266,575 | 78.0% | 4.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,704,880 | 86.8% | 3.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024: ACS 5-year estimates, S2301 | Employment Status
Funding
This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the recipient and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, expressed or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.