Posted February 2025
Summary
The King County economy quickly began to bounce back from the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. It fully recovered the jobs it lost by June 2022. Most recently, total nonfarm employment growth has slowed as policy makers shifted to contain inflation.
Seattle is the county seat and the state’s largest city in terms of population. Its mix of older industrial companies and internet and technology companies have helped King County become the leading county employer in the state. Much of the tech employment is contained within the information industry. Over the past couple of years employment in this sector has moved from a boom period during the pandemic toward a bust period. In 2024, the information industry shed more jobs in the county than any other industry.
The Boeing Company maintains major production facilities in the Seatle area and in other parts of King County. In fall 2024, roughly 33,000 Boeing employees went on a seven-week strike through their machinist union. The strike showed up in the October numbers as a major loss. The November report reflects workers returning to their jobs.
Location
King County is located on Puget Sound in western Washington state. It is bordered on the north by Snohomish County, the northeast by Chelan County, the southeast by Kittitas County, the south by Pierce County and across the Puget Sound on the west by Kitsap County.
King County is one of three Washington counties that make up the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan statistical area along with Pierce and Snohomish Counties. It is the most populous county in the state.
Employment situation for December 2024
Labor force and unemployment
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The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.0% in December 2024, down from 3.8% in November and down from 3.5% 12 months ago.
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The labor force expanded from December 2023 to December 2024, adding 23,218 participants (up 1.7%).
Unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research (LMIR) Division, Local area unemployment statistics
Payroll employment
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Total nonfarm employment increased by 6,000 from November to December.
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Overall, employment growth has continued over the year but has been slowing.
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Over the month, employment increased in eight major industry sectors, decreased in three and was unchanged in two. The largest increase was in manufacturing. The deepest loss was in construction.
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From December 2023 to December 2024, total nonfarm employment expanded by 15,600 or 1.0%.
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Over the year, employment in four major industries expanded and nine contracted.
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Employment in government increased the most while employment in construction declined the most.
Nonfarm employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted, King 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 | 1,502,900 | 1,496,900 | 1,487,300 | 6,000 | 15,600 | 1.0% |
| Total Private | 1,314,400 | 1,306,700 | 1,316,800 | 7,700 | -2,400 | -0.2% |
| Goods Producing | 165,000 | 167,500 | 174,400 | -2,500 | -9,400 | -5.4% |
| ---Mining and Logging | 400 | 400 | 500 | 0 | -100 | -20.0% |
| ---Construction | 74,700 | 75,200 | 79,900 | -500 | -5,200 | -6.5% |
| ---Manufacturing | 89,900 | 91,900 | 94,000 | -2,000 | -4,100 | -4.4% |
| Service Providing | 1,337,900 | 1,329,400 | 1,312,900 | 8,500 | 25,000 | 1.9% |
| ---Wholesale Trade | 60,600 | 60,100 | 62,800 | 500 | -2,200 | -3.5% |
| ---Retail Trade | 110,000 | 108,100 | 105,500 | 1,900 | 4,500 | 4.3% |
| ---Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities | 69,000 | 67,700 | 65,800 | 1,300 | 3,200 | 4.9% |
| ---Information | 130900 | 129200 | 133500 | 1,700 | -2,600 | -1.9% |
| ---Financial Activities | 72,600 | 72,600 | 74,500 | 0 | -1,900 | -2.6% |
| ---Professional and Business Services | 314,900 | 314,000 | 315,600 | 900 | -700 | -0.2% |
| ---Educational and Health Services | 207,000 | 206,900 | 195,700 | 100 | 11,300 | 5.8% |
| ---Leisure and Hospitality | 136,400 | 133,300 | 140,100 | 3,100 | -3,700 | -2.6% |
| ---Other Services | 48,000 | 47,300 | 48,900 | 700 | -900 | -1.8% |
| ---Government | 188,500 | 190,200 | 170,500 | -1,700 | 18,000 | 10.6% |
Note: Data benchmarked through June 2024, updated Jan. 16, 2024. Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research (LMIR) Division, Washington employment estimates (WA-QB & CES)
Industry employment (covered employment)
King County leads all other counties in total employment. Private sector employment accounts for about 90% of the total. The county’s largest city, Seattle, is effectively the heart of the economy. Health care is the leading private sector employer in King County as Seattle is the headquarters for many global health organizations.
Beginning in the 1980s, the Seattle area developed into a technology center. The stream of new software, biotechnology and internet companies helped move the professional, scientific and technical services sector into the second largest industry employer, and information into the third largest.
King County’s large population has encouraged employment growth in retail trade and accommodation and food services. Truck and aerospace manufacturing have also bolstered employment in the manufacturing sector.
Employment by industry, King County 2023 annual average
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research (LMIR) Division, Covered Employment (QCEW)
Average annual covered employment in King County was 1,456,439. 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:
- Government (173,135)
- Health care and social assistance (160,135)
- Professional, scientific, and technical services (154,638)
- Information (134,548)
- Accommodation and food services (107,610)
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 King County was $120,463 in 2023.
The top five sectors in terms of wage in 2023:
- Information ($251,151)
- Management of companies and enterprises ($212,540)
- Professional, scientific, and technical services ($143,180)
- Utilities ($128,826)
- Finance and insurance ($126,493
Workforce demographics for King County
Age
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population 16 years and over | 1,864,459 | 70.1% | 4.6% |
| 16 to 19 years | 97,794 | 37.7% | 15.0% |
| 20 to 24 years | 132,192 | 77.8% | 8.2% |
| 25 to 29 years | 196,893 | 88.4% | 4.5% |
| 30 to 34 years | 215,322 | 87.7% | 4.3% |
| 35 to 44 years | 358,298 | 86.1% | 3.9% |
| 45 to 54 years | 293,485 | 85.1% | 3.5% |
| 55 to 59 years | 132,462 | 77.4% | 3.6% |
| 60 to 64 years | 126,645 | 63.0% | 3.6% |
| 65 to 74 years | 187,744 | 29.8% | 3.8% |
| 75 years and over | 123,624 | 6.6% | 3.9% |
Race or Hispanic origin
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White alone | 1,102,165 | 68.3% | 4.4% |
| Black or African American alone | 115,064 | 70.1% | 7.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone | 11,177 | 66.8% | 6.2% |
| Asian alone | 379,899 | 72.2% | 3.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone | 13,091 | 72.8% | 6.6% |
| Some other race alone | 81,636 | 76.5% | 5.6% |
| Two or more races | 161,427 | 73.8% | 6.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) | 176,272 | 76.4% | 5.1% |
| White alone, not Hispanic or Latino | 1,063,192 | 68.0% | 4.4% |
| Population 20 to 64 years | 1,455,297 | 82.9% | 4.3% |
Sex
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 752,680 | 88.0% | 4.4% |
| Female | 702,617 | 77.4% | 4.2% |
Females with children
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| With own children under 18 | 227,645 | 73.2% | 3.8% |
| With own children under 6 only | 56,962 | 72.0% | 3.5% |
| With own children under 6 and 6 to 17 | 39,256 | 62.8% | 4.2% |
| With own children 6 to 17 only | 131,427 | 76.8% | 3.9% |
Poverty status in the past 12 months
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below poverty level | 113,066 | 48.1% | 24.2% |
| At or above the poverty level | 1,332,950 | 86.2% | 3.3% |
Disability status
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| With any disability | 113,886 | 57.7% | 10.4% |
Educational attainment
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population 25 to 64 years | 1,323,105 | 83.4% | 3.9% |
| Less than high school graduate | 76,288 | 68.9% | 7.2% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 178,879 | 75.7% | 6.1% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 299,536 | 80.1% | 5.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 768,402 | 87.9% | 2.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, S2301 | Employment Status
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