Snohomish County profile

Snohomish County is situated between northern Puget Sound to the west and the crest line of the North Cascade Range to the east. It shares its northern border with rural Skagit County and its south border with King County. Snohomish County is separated from Camano Island (part of Island County) by Davis Slough. The highest point in Snohomish County is Granite Peak (10,541 feet).

The county ranks 13th statewide in terms of total land area (2,087.3 square miles). The geographic distribution of population, economic activity and land use in Snohomish County is diverse, with a mix of rural and urban zones. Population centers are oriented south near the border with King County and west along Interstate 5. By contrast, north and east Snohomish County is characterized by smaller towns and cities, farmland and reservations.

Snohomish County is part of the three-county Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue MSA and part of the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett Metropolitan Division. Snohomish County is the only county in the Snohomish Workforce Development Area. Visit the Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board website for information about the 12 regions.

Employment situation for February 2025

Labor force and unemployment

• The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.4% in February 2025, up from 4.2% in January 2025 and up from 4.3% a year ago. 
• The labor force has 471,480 workers and expanded by 6,349 participants over the year.

Unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted

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

Payroll employment

• Nonfarm employment in Snohomish County dropped by 1,500 to 297,200 jobs in the month between January 2025 and February 2025; it dropped by 4,500 jobs over the year between February 2024 and February 2025. 
• Other services, Manufacturing, private service providing and specialty trade contractors showed the largest over the year job losses. 
• The largest over the year job gains were in Transportation warehousing and utilities, local government, and ambulatory health services.

Nonfarm employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted, Snohomish County

Note: Data benchmarked through September 2024, updated March 28, 2025.
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research Division, Washington employment estimates (WA-QB & CES)

Industry employment (covered employment)

Employment by industry, Snohomish County 2023 annual average

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

Average annual covered employment in Snohomish County was 292,630 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.

Wages can vary substantially from one industry sector to another. The average annual wage in Washington state for all industries was $87,054 in 2023. The average annual wage in Snohomish County was $78,847 in 2023.

Top sectors in terms of employment in 2023:

• Manufacturing (53,867)

• Government (39,957)

• Health care and social assistance (35,347)

• Retail trade (34,582)

• Construction (25,369)

Top sectors in terms of wage in 2023:

• Professional, scientific, and technical services ($163,426)

• Information ($122,763)

• Manufacturing ($115,679)

• Utilities ($107,011)

• Finance and insurance ($105,848)

Workforce demographics in Snohomish County

Age

Race or Hispanic origin

Sex

Females with children

Poverty status in the past 12 months

Disability status

Educational attainment

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 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.