- Posted February 2025
Summary
Chelan County’s labor supply grew by 3,173 workers over the year to 46,905 workers as of December 2024 with a not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 4.6%, 0.8% below December 2023. Agriculture, forestry and fishing make up the largest industry sector with an annual average employment of 8,187 out of 45,448 total annual average employment. The county has 3,092 establishments employing workers covered by the Washington State Employment Security Act. Chelan County’s 16 and older population was 63,416 in 2023.
Geography
Chelan County is located in the center of Washington. Lake Chelan is a local attraction. It is more than 50 miles long and is abutted by high mountain peaks.
Chelan County is part of the Wenatchee, WA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), comprised of Chelan and Douglas counties. It is part of the SkillSource Workforce Development Area, covering north central Washington. Visit the Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board website for information about Washington’s 12 workforce areas.
Employment situation for December 2024
Labor force and unemployment
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The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.6% in December 2024, down from 5.4% during December 2023.
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The December 2024 labor force of 46,905 workers grew by 3,173 over the year, up from 43,732 during December 2023.
Unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research Division, Local area unemployment statistics
Payroll employment, Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area
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Total nonfarm employment was 49,600 jobs in December 2024, a decrease of 200 jobs from November 2024, and an increase of 900 jobs from December 2023.
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Retail trade was unchanged from December 2023 to December 2024 and up 100 jobs from November to December.
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Leisure and hospitality was unchanged from December 2023 to December 2024 and gained 100 jobs from November to December.
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Manufacturing increased by 200 jobs from December 2023 to December 2024 and had no change from November to December.
Nonfarm employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted, Wenatchee MSA
| 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 | 49,600 | 49,800 | 48,700 | -200 | 900 | 1.8% |
| Total Private | 40,200 | 40,100 | 39,200 | 100 | 1,000 | 2.6% |
| Goods Producing | 7,000 | 7,000 | 6,400 | 0 | 600 | 9.4% |
| ---Mining, Logging, and Construction | 4,000 | 4,000 | 3,600 | 0 | 400 | 11.1% |
| ---Manufacturing | 3,000 | 3,000 | 2,800 | 0 | 200 | 7.1% |
| Service Providing | 42,600 | 42,800 | 42,300 | -200 | 300 | 0.7% |
| ---Private Services Providing | 33,200 | 33,100 | 32,800 | 100 | 400 | 1.2% |
| ---Trade, Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities | 10,000 | 10,000 | 9,900 | 0 | 100 | 1.0% |
| -------Retail Trade | 6,500 | 6,400 | 6,500 | 100 | 0 | 0.0% |
| ---Education and Health Services | 8,600 | 8,600 | 8,400 | 0 | 200 | 2.4% |
| ---Leisure and Hospitality | 7100 | 7000 | 7100 | 100 | 0 | 0.0% |
| ---Government | 9,400 | 9,700 | 9,500 | -300 | -100 | -1.1% |
| -------Federal Government | 800 | 900 | 800 | -100 | 0 | 0.0% |
| -------State Government | 1,000 | 1,100 | 1,100 | -100 | -100 | -9.1% |
| -------Local Government | 7,600 | 7,700 | 7,600 | -100 | 0 | 0.0% |
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, Chelan County 2023 annual average
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.
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research Division, Covered Employment (QCEW)
Average annual covered employment in 2023 in Chelan County was 45,448. Covered employment refers to workers who received wages in Washington state and are eligible for state and federal unemployment insurance (UI) compensation programs.
Top sectors in terms of employment in 2023:
- Agriculture (8,134)
- Health services (6,908)
- Local government (5,454)
- Accommodation and food services (4,771)
- Retail trade (4,454)
Wages can vary substantially from one industry sector to another. The average annual wage in Chelan County was $54,174 which was 62.2% of Washington state’s average annual wage of $87,091.
Top sectors in terms of wages/payroll in 2023:
- Health services ($518.0 million)
- Local government ($390.7 million)
- Agriculture ($287.0 million)
- Construction ($207.9 million)
- Retail trade ($164.3 million)
Workforce demographics for Chelan County
Chelan County’s 16 and older population was 63,416 in 2023 with an unemployment rate of 4.0%.
Visit the U.S. Census Bureau website for more quick facts about Chelan County.
Age
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population 16 years and over | 63,416 | 60.7% | 4.0% |
| 16 to 19 years | 3,693 | 42.5% | 11.9% |
| 20 to 24 years | 4,515 | 82.3% | 8.6% |
| 25 to 29 years | 4,772 | 88.0% | 1.7% |
| 30 to 34 years | 4,990 | 86.2% | 5.7% |
| 35 to 44 years | 10,009 | 84.9% | 2.8% |
| 45 to 54 years | 8,615 | 84.1% | 3.8% |
| 55 to 59 years | 4,923 | 73.2% | 2.2% |
| 60 to 64 years | 5,608 | 53.9% | 1.5% |
| 65 to 74 years | 9,771 | 20.2% | 3.7% |
| 75 years and over | 6,520 | 5.6% | 0.0% |
Race or Hispanic origin
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White alone | 46,524 | 55.6% | 3.8% |
| Black or African American alone | 324 | 63.3% | 13.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone | 788 | 77.3% | 2.5% |
| Asian alone | 561 | 67.4% | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone | 62 | 59.7% | 0.0% |
| Some other race alone | 9,076 | 74.3% | 3.5% |
| Two or more races | 6,081 | 76.5% | 5.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) | 14,990 | 76.6% | 4.8% |
| White alone, not Hispanic or Latino | 45,216 | 55.2% | 3.6% |
| Population 20 to 64 years | 43,432 | 79.6% | 3.7% |
Sex
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 21,984 | 84.4% | 4.3% |
| Female | 21,448 | 74.7% | 3.0% |
Females with children
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| With own children under 18 | 7,781 | 76.9% | 3.6% |
| With own children under 6 only | 1,710 | 69.9% | 1.1% |
| With own children under 6 and 6 to 17 | 1,657 | 73.3% | 1.8% |
| With own children 6 to 17 only | 4,414 | 80.9% | 5.0% |
Poverty status in the past 12 months
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below poverty level | 3,491 | 39.7% | 15.6% |
| At or above the poverty level | 39,716 | 83.5% | 3.2% |
Disability status
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| With any disability | 6,267 | 56.5% | 5.2% |
Educational attainment
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population 25 to 64 years | 38,917 | 79.3% | 3.1% |
| Less than high school graduate | 6,209 | 75.7% | 6.3% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 8,682 | 76.7% | 2.4% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 12,585 | 78.1% | 2.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11,441 | 84.6% | 2.2% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, S2301 | Employment Status
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