Yakima County profile

- Posted February 2025

Summary

Yakima County’s labor supply was 122,189 workers as of December 2024. Total nonfarm employment in the county was 90,600 workers with a not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 7.5%. Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the largest industry sector demanding workers in Yakima County at 28,695 average annual employment out of 116,064 total annual average employment in 2023. The county has 5,883 establishments employing workers covered by the Washington State Employment Security Act. The population of people 16 and older is 189,087.

Geography

Yakima is the second largest county in Washington state at 2.75 million acres. Three entities own or manage 63.4% of the land:

• The Yakama Nation (1,074,174 acres)
• The U.S. Forest Service (503,726 acres)
• The U.S. Army Yakima Training Center (165,787 acres)

Employment situation for December 2024

Labor force and unemployment

• The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.5% during December 2024, down from 7.8% in December 2023.
• The labor force was 122,189 workers in December 2024, a decrease of 3,913 workers from 126,108 in December 2023.

Unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted

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

Payroll employment

Total nonfarm employment during December 2024 was 90,600, an increase of 1,000 jobs from December 2023 and unchanged from November 2024.  

• Nondurable goods manufacturing decreased 200 jobs from a year ago and was unchanged from November 2024.

• Wholesale trade decreased 100 jobs from a year ago and decreased 100 jobs from November 2024.

• Retail trade decreased 300 jobs from a year ago and decreased 100 jobs from November 2024.

• Professional and business service increased 200 jobs from a year ago and decreased 100 jobs from November 2024.

• Health services increased 600 jobs from a year ago and was unchanged from November 2024.

• Food service jobs increased 200 from a year ago and increased 100 from November 2024.

• Local government jobs increased 800 from a year ago and was unchanged from November 2024.

Nonfarm employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted, Yakima County

Note: Data benchmarked through June 2024, updated Jan. 16, 2025. Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research Division, Washington employment estimates (WA-QB & CES) 

Industry employment (covered employment)

Employment by industry, Yakima County 2023 annual average

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

Covered employment, or Quarterly Census of Employment and Wage (QCEW) data, include agricultural and nonagricultural employment and wages for firms, organizations and individuals whose employees are covered by the Washington State Employment Security Act. Covered employment generally exceeds 85% of total employment in the state of Washington. Average annual covered employment in 2023 in Yakima County was 116,064. The average annual wage was $49,831 which was 57.2% of Washington state’s average annual wage of $87,091.

Top sectors in terms of employment in 2023:

• Agriculture, forestry, and fishing (28,695 jobs)
• Government (18,379 jobs)
• Health care and social assistance (17,853 jobs)
• Retail trade (11,509 jobs)
• Manufacturing (8,103 jobs)

Top sectors in terms of total wages paid in 2023:

• Government ($1,180,814,436)
• Agriculture, forestry, and fishing ($1,133,917,517)
• Health services ($970,102,892)
• Manufacturing ($474,005,530)
• Retail trade ($443,806,142)

Workforce demographics in Yakima County

Yakima County’s 16 and older population was 189,087 in 2023. The labor force participation rate was 62.1%. The average unemployment rate was 7.2%.

Visit the U.S. Census Bureau website for more quick facts about Yakima 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 

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