Labor market county profiles

County profiles highlight aspects of the economic health of each of Washington’s counties. The facts and figures are useful for grant applications, strategic planning, economic development and other research projects. 

County Profiles

Select your county from the drop down below or scroll down for the Washington State profile.

Washington Counties

Adams

Asotin

Benton

Chelan

Clallam

Clark

Columbia

Cowlitz

Douglas

Ferry

Franklin

Garfield

Grant

Grays Harbor

Island

Jefferson

King

Kitsap

Kittitas

Klickitat

Lewis

Lincoln

Mason

Okanogan

Pacific

Pend Oreille

Pierce

San Juan

Skagit

Skamania

Snohomish

Spokane

Stevens

Thurston

Wahkiakum

Walla Walla

Whatcom

Whitman

Yakima

Posted April 2025

March 2025 Highlights

In March, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from 5.0% to 4.5% and total nonfarm employment increased by 11,200.

Washington State Summary

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 swiftly and deeply impacted Washington’s labor market. During the brief recession, Washington employers shed approximately 430,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate reached a record high 14.2%.

Economic recovery was rapid and uneven. 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, have yet to reach pre-pandemic employment levels.

Over the past couple of years, rapid employment growth that characterized the post-pandemic recovery has slowed. Some industries, such as healthcare, continue to expand employment. Others, such as information and wholesale trade, have shed jobs over the past couple of years.

Geographic overview

A map of the United States with Washington state highlighted in orange.

Washington is in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, neighboring Oregon to the south, Idaho to the east, British Columbia, Canada, to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the west.

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.

Washington has 12 regional workforce areas overseen by Workforce Development Boards. Visit the Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board website for information about the 12 regions.

Employment situation for March 2025

Labor force and unemployment

  • The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.5% in March 2025, down from 5.0% in February and down from 4.7% observed 12 months ago.
  • The labor force decreased by 0.4% compared to March 2024, shedding 17,727 participants.

Unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted

A chart showing the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the United States, Washington state from January 2014 to March 2025.

Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research (LMIR) Division, Local area unemployment statistics

Payroll employment

  • Total nonfarm employment increased by 11,200 from February to March 2025.
  • From February to March 2025, not seasonally adjusted employment increased for nine sectors detailed in this report and decreased for three. The largest increases were observed in leisure and hospitality (up 4,700), retail trade (up 2,100) and professional and business services (up 1,900). Decreases were observed in government (down 1,900), manufacturing (down 400) and wholesale trade (down 2,600).
  • From March 2024 to March 2025, total nonfarm employment increased by 25,100 or 0.7%.
  • Overall, employment in ten major industries expanded and three contracted over the year.
  • Employment in private education and health services increased to the greatest extent (up 16,300). Information, professional and business services and transportation, warehousing and utilities also increased employment significantly (8,700, 6,100 and 4,800 respectively). The largest decreases over the year were in goods producing sectors. Construction employment was down 12,500 and manufacturing was down 5,000 jobs.

Nonfarm employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted, Washington state

NAICS Industry Title Mar 2025 (Prelim) Feb 2025 (Revised) Mar 2024 (Revised) Feb 2025 to Mar 2025 Change Mar 2024 to Mar 2025 Change Mar 2024 to Mar 2025 % Change
Total nonfarm 3,632,700 3,621,500 3,607,600 11,200 25,100 0.7%
Total private (total nonfarm less government) 3,014,400 3,001,300 2,991,100 13,100 23,300 0.8%
Goods-producing 483,900 482,600 501,200 1,300 -17,300 -3.5%
- Mining and logging 5,400 5,400 5,200 0 200 3.8%
- Construction 209,100 207,400 221,600 1,700 -12,500 -5.6%
- Manufacturing 269,400 269,800 274,400 -400 -5,000 -1.8%
Service-providing 3,148,800 3,138,900 3,106,400 9,900 42,400 1.4%
- Wholesale trade 135,600 135,800 138,200 -200 -2,600 -1.9%
- Retail trade 331,000 328,900 330,600 2,100 400 0.1%
- Transportation, warehousing, and utilities 152,700 152,500 147,900 200 4,800 3.2%
- Information 171,900 170,200 163,200 1,700 8,700 5.3%
- Financial activities 164,000 163,100 162,500 900 1,500 0.9%
- Professional and business services 547,400 545,500 541,300 1,900 6,100 1.1%
- Private education and health services 563,400 563,300 547,100 100 16,300 3.0%
- Leisure and hospitality 341,700 337,000 337,200 4,700 4,500 1.3%
- Other services 122,800 122,400 121,900 400 900 0.7%
- Government 618,300 620,200 616,500 -1,900 1,800 0.3%

Note: Data benchmarked through September 2024updated April 17, 2025.
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research Division, Washington employment estimates (WA-QB & CES)
Detailed tables can be found on the source page in the third spreadsheet titled Current employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted.

Total covered employment

Washington has a diverse labor market with substantial local variation. Government is the largest sector in terms of employment, which includes federal, state and local government and activities ranging from administration to public education, public utilities, tribal enterprise and more. The largest private sector industries are healthcare and social assistance, retail trade and manufacturing.

Employment by industry, Washington state 2023 annual average

This chart shows the annual average employment by industry. Government is the highest with 571,013, followed by healthcare and social assistance at 455,748.

Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research (LMIR) Division, Covered Employment (QCEW)

Average annual covered employment in Washington was 3,559,653 and the average annual wage was $87,091 in 2023.

Top five sectors in terms of employment in 2023:

  • Government (571,013)
  • Health care and social assistance (455,748)
  • Retail trade (332,139)
  • Accommodation and food services (283,296)
  • Manufacturing (270,979)

Wages can vary substantially from one industry sector to another.

Top five sectors in terms of average annual wage in 2023:

  • Information ($251,234)
  • Management of companies and enterprises ($212,551)
  • Professional, scientific, and technical services ($143,303)
  • Utilities ($128,822)
  • Finance and insurance ($126,494)

Workforce demographics for Washington state

Age

Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
16 to 19 years 365,567 40.20% 16.60%
20 to 24 years 477,787 79.20% 8.80%
25 to 29 years 566,940 84.90% 5.10%
30 to 34 years 606,494 83.40% 4.70%
35 to 44 years 1,092,809 83.30% 4.10%
45 to 54 years 934,040 82.30% 3.50%
55 to 59 years 460,694 74.60% 3.80%
60 to 64 years 488,857 58.60% 3.50%
65 to 74 years 772,064 24.80% 3.60%
75 years and over 487,249 5.90% 3.80%
Population 16 years and over 6,252,501 64.70% 5.00%
Population 20 to 64 years 4,627,621 79.40% 4.60%
Population 25 to 64 years 4,149,834 79.50% 4.10%

Race and Hispanic or Latino origin

Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
White alone 4,394,285 62.30% 4.70%
Black or African American alone 241,312 69.70% 7.40%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone 69,995 61.00% 8.10%
Asian alone 613,005 70.10% 3.50%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone 41,512 69.40% 6.10%
Some other race alone 312,691 73.10% 5.60%
Two or more races 579,701 70.00% 6.80%
Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) 742,087 72.90% 5.90%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 4,213,100 61.90% 4.70%

Sex

Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Male 2,368,049 84.70% 4.70%
Female 2,259,572 73.90% 4.50%

Females with children

Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
children under 18 779,573 71.90% 4.30%
children under 6 only 183,193 68.60% 4.70%
children under 6 and 6 to 17 157,076 61.80% 5.60%
children 6 to 17 only 439,304 76.80% 3.70%

 Poverty status over the past 12 months

Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Below poverty level 430,738 45.00% 22.10%
At or above the poverty level 4,140,197 83.60% 3.60%

Disability status

Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
With any disability 501,627 50.60% 10.00%

Educational attainment

Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Less than high school graduate 326,059 66.10% 7.10%
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 886,366 73.50% 5.50%
Some college or associate's degree 1,288,226 77.80% 4.50%
Bachelor's degree or higher 1,649,183 86.60% 2.80%

 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, S2301 | Employment Status

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.