Posted February 2025
Summary
As one of the fastest growing regions of the state, Clark County has a robust and changing job market. Its largest city, Vancouver, was historically a bedroom community of neighboring Portland, Oregon. In recent years the county has developed into a major center of population and employment in southwest Washington. Clark County’s major industries include health care and social assistance, construction, manufacturing, and professional and business services.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Clark County’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate peaked at 14.5% in April 2020. This was 1.8% below the statewide high of 16.3%. Since then, the county’s recovery has kept pace with statewide trends.
Location
Clark County is located in southwest Washington, along the Columbia River. It is part of the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The region is well connected, with proximity to Interstate 5 as well as major air, rail, and maritime transportation.
Clark County, along with neighboring Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties, is part of Washington’s seventh Workforce Development Area. Visit the Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board website for information about the 12 regions.
Employment situation for December 2024
Labor force and unemployment
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The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.0% in December 2024, up from 4.7% in the previous month and up from 4.9% in December 2023.
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The total civilian labor force was 236,326, down by 11,338 from December 2023.
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There were 11,717 unemployed persons — 499 fewer than in December 2023.
Unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research Division, Local area unemployment statistics
Payroll employment
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Total nonfarm employment was 189,600 in December 2024, not seasonally adjusted. This was up by 1000 jobs from the previous month, and up 2,800 jobs (1.5%) from December 2023.
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Over the year, employment increased in seven industries, decreased in three industries, and was unchanged in two industries.
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The largest increases were in education and health services (1,300 jobs), leisure and hospitality (800 jobs), and professional and business services (700 jobs).
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The largest decreases were in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (down 500 jobs), retail trade (down 400 jobs), and information (down 100 jobs).
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Wholesale trade and government employment was unchanged over the year.
Nonfarm employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted, Clark County
| NAICS Industry Title | Dec 2024 (Preliminary) | Nov 2024 (Revised) | Dec 2023 (Revised) | Nov 2024 to Dec 2024 change | Dec 2023 to Dec 2024 change | Dec 2023 to Dec 2024 % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Nonfarm | 189,600 | 188,600 | 186,800 | 1,000 | 2,800 | 1.5% |
| ---Mining, Logging, and Construction | 18,900 | 18,700 | 18,500 | 200 | 400 | 2.2% |
| ---Manufacturing | 14,400 | 14,400 | 14,100 | 0 | 300 | 2.1% |
| ---Wholesale Trade | 7,700 | 7,600 | 7,700 | 100 | 0 | 0.0% |
| ---Retail Trade | 18,700 | 18,500 | 19,100 | 200 | -400 | -2.1% |
| ---Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities | 3,900 | 3,900 | 4,400 | 0 | -500 | -11.4% |
| ---Information | 3,800 | 3,700 | 3,900 | 100 | -100 | -2.6% |
| ---Financial Activities | 10,300 | 10,300 | 10,100 | 0 | 200 | 2.0% |
| ---Professional and Business Services | 25,200 | 25,200 | 24,500 | 0 | 700 | 2.9% |
| ---Education and Health Services | 34100 | 34300 | 32800 | -200 | 1,300 | 4.0% |
| ---Leisure and Hospitality | 18,200 | 17,900 | 17,400 | 300 | 800 | 4.6% |
| ---Other Services | 6,500 | 6,400 | 6,400 | 100 | 100 | 1.6% |
| ---Government | 27,900 | 27,700 | 27,900 | 200 | 0 | 0.0% |
Note: Data benchmarked through June 2024, updated Jan. 16, 2025. Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research (LMIR) Division, Washington employment estimates (WA-QB & CES)
Industry employment (covered employment)
Clark County has one of the most diverse economies in the state, with significant employment in both goods producing and service providing industries. Health care and social assistance continues to be a major sector with some of the largest employers in the region.
Employment by industry, Clark County 2023 annual average
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research Division, Covered Employment (QCEW)
Note: ND stands for not disclosed. ND is used to avoid disclosing data for individual employers. Industries labeled ND are grouped in the Not elsewhere classified category.
Average annual covered employment in Clark County was 180,182 and the average annual wage was $68,874 in 2023. Covered employment refers to workers who received wages in Washington state and are eligible for state and federal unemployment insurance (UI) compensation programs.
Top five sectors in terms of employment in 2023:
- Health care and social assistance (29,322)
- Government (26,815)
- Retail trade (18,724)
- Construction (17,432)
- Accommodation and food services (15,169)
Top five sectors in terms of wage in 2023:
- Finance and insurance ($112,480)
- Management of companies and enterprises ($109,840)
- Information ($106,292)
- Professional, scientific, and technical services ($104,482)
- Wholesale trade ($94,813)
These five sectors make up approximately 18% of all employment.
Workforce demographics for Clark County
Clark County’s labor force participation rate is 64.2%, led by strong labor force participation among prime aged workers (aged 25 to 54). Approximately two-thirds of the population aged 25 to 64 has some college education or higher. Visit the U.S. Census Bureau website for quick facts about Clark County.
Age
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population 16 years and over | 406,229 | 64.2% | 5.2% |
| 16 to 19 years | 24,937 | 36.5% | 15.8% |
| 20 to 24 years | 29,901 | 82.0% | 7.9% |
| 25 to 29 years | 33,880 | 83.6% | 5.1% |
| 30 to 34 years | 35,748 | 83.2% | 6.1% |
| 35 to 44 years | 69,689 | 82.7% | 4.9% |
| 45 to 54 years | 65,307 | 82.6% | 3.3% |
| 55 to 59 years | 31,508 | 77.8% | 4.7% |
| 60 to 64 years | 32,247 | 59.6% | 3.9% |
| 65 to 74 years | 51,806 | 24.0% | 3.4% |
| 75 years and over | 31,206 | 5.1% | 1.8% |
Race or Hispanic origin
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White alone | 322,881 | 63.0% | 5.3% |
| Black or African American alone | 8,391 | 69.2% | 5.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone | 2,316 | 61.7% | 5.4% |
| Asian alone | 20,541 | 67.5% | 2.7% |
| Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone | 3,087 | 71.0% | 3.4% |
| Some other race alone | 14,543 | 71.7% | 3.4% |
| Two or more races | 34,470 | 69.5% | 7.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) | 40,564 | 70.4% | 6.1% |
| White alone, not Hispanic or Latino | 310,119 | 62.8% | 5.2% |
| Population 20 to 64 years | 298,280 | 79.7% | 4.9% |
Sex
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 149,553 | 86.2% | 4.8% |
| Female | 148,727 | 73.2% | 5.0% |
Females with children
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| With own children under 18 | 54,498 | 69.4% | 5.7% |
| With own children under 6 only | 12,008 | 66.8% | 6.6% |
| With own children under 6 and 6 to 17 | 11,576 | 58.4% | 14.6% |
| With own children 6 to 17 only | 30,914 | 74.5% | 2.7% |
Poverty status in the past 12 months
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below poverty level | 23,371 | 47.2% | 21.0% |
| At or above the poverty level | 273,693 | 82.9% | 4.1% |
Disability status
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| With any disability | 33,260 | 51.1% | 10.4% |
Educational attainment
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population 25 to 64 years | 268,379 | 79.5% | 4.6% |
| Less than high school graduate | 20,422 | 65.4% | 8.7% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 65,673 | 75.7% | 4.5% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 93,543 | 79.2% | 5.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 88,741 | 85.9% | 2.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, S2301 | Employment Status
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