- Posted March 2025
Summary
Kitsap County nonfarm employment total 99,200 in the January 25 preliminary data release this represents A-1000 job drop from December 2024 where nonfarm employment was 100,000 200 over the year nonfarm jobs are increased 4100 between January 2024 in January 2025.
Over the month goods producing jobs were down 400 in service providing employment dropped by 600. In good producing manufacturing was up 200 over the month as construction fell by 600. Service providing employment over the month so I trade transportation utilities declining by 700 with the bulk of that attached to a seasonal loss in retail trade of 400 government employment over the month remained unchanged.
Between January 2024 and January 2020 5 employment and manufacturing gained 400 jobs is mining logging and construction fell by 200 over this same time. The big gainers over the year were government which saw employment increase by 1800 and leisure and hospitality which gained 600 jobs over the year the government gains were split evenly with federal government employment up 900 in state government and local government up 900 combined.
The unemployment rate in Kitsap County preliminary January 2025 Unemployment rate was 4.8% up slightly from the 4.5% of December 2024 and below the January 2024 rate of 5.0%.
Total nonfarm employment was 97,800 in January 2025 (preliminary) — up 300 from December’s revised total of 97,500 and up 1,400 from January 2024.
From December 2024 to January 2025, retail trade gained 200 and leisure and hospitality gained 100. Gover
From January 2024 to January 2025, government gained 600, professional and business services gained 300, construction gained 200, and trade transportation and utilities gained 300. Leisure and hospitality lost 400 compared with the same period last year.
Location
Kitsap County is the northern end of the Kitsap Peninsula, jutting into the Puget Sound between the Olympic Peninsula to the west and King County to the east. It is between Hood Canal and Admiralty Strait. Water transportation is dominant in the culture and economy. The county seat is Port Orchard.
Kitsap County is one of the smallest counties in the state in terms of land area at about 395 square miles. It ranks third, however, in the state in terms of its population density, with 750 people per square mile.
Kitsap County is synonymous with the Bremerton-Silverdale Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Kitsap County is part of the Olympic Workforce Development Area. Visit the Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board website for information about the 12 regions.
Employment situation for January 2025
Labor force and unemployment
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The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4. 8% in January 2025, up from 4. 5% in December 2024 and down from 5.0% in January 2024.
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The labor force contracted over the year, losing 749 participants.
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 increased by 3##00 jobs from December 2024 to January 2025.
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Overall, employment growth continues but is slowing.
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Employment increased the most in trade, transportation, warehousing and utilities (including gains in retail trade). The leisure and hospitality sector also added jobs in January. Government employment fell in December.
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Total nonfarm employment expanded by 1, 400 from January 2024 to January 2025.
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Overall, government, and leisure and hospitality posted 12-month gains.
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Trade, transportation, warehousing and utilities and professional and business services each she##d jobs over the same time.
Nonfarm employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted, Kitsap County
| NAICS Industry Title | Jan 2025 (Preliminary) | Dec 2024 (Revised) | Jan 2024 (Revised) | Dec 2024 to Jan 2025 change | Jan 2024 to Jan 2025 change | Jan 2024 to Jan 2025 % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Nonfarm | 99,200 | 100,200 | 95,100 | -1,000 | 4,100 | 4.3% |
| --Total Private | 62,800 | 63,800 | 60,500 | -1,000 | 2,300 | 3.8% |
| ---Goods Producing | 7,500 | 7,900 | 7,300 | -400 | 200 | 2.7% |
| -----Mining, Logging, and Construction | 4,500 | 5,100 | 4,700 | -600 | -200 | -4.3% |
| -----Manufacturing | 3,000 | 2,800 | 2,600 | 200 | 400 | 15.4% |
| ---Service Providing | 91,700 | 92,300 | 87,800 | -600 | 3,900 | 4.4% |
| -------Trade, Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities | 13,400 | 14,100 | 13,400 | -700 | 0 | 0.0% |
| -------Retail Trade | 10,600 | 11,000 | 10,700 | -400 | -100 | -0.9% |
| -----Professional and Business Services | 9,500 | 9,500 | 9,400 | 0 | 100 | 1.1% |
| -----Leisure and Hospitality | 10,100 | 10,100 | 9,500 | 0 | 600 | 6.3% |
| -----Government | 36,400 | 36,400 | 34,600 | 0 | 1,800 | 5.2% |
| -------Federal Government | 21,800 | 21,700 | 20,900 | 100 | 900 | 4.3% |
| -------Total State Government | 1,900 | 1,900 | 1,800 | 0 | 100 | 5.6% |
| -------Total Local Government | 12,700 | 12,800 | 11,900 | -100 | 800 | 6.7% |
Note: Data benchmarked through September 2024, updated March 17, 2025.
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research Division, Washington employment estimates (WA-QB & CES)
Industry employment (covered employment)
Employment by industry, Kitsap County 2023 annual average
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research Division, Covered Employment (QCEW)
Average annual covered employment in Kitsap County was 93,040 in 2023. Covered employment refers to state workers covered by state unemployment insurance (UI) laws and federal workers covered by federal unemployment compensation program.
Top sectors in terms of employment in 2023:
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Government (33,850)
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Health care and social assistance (12,227)
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Retail trade (10,803)
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Accommodation and food services (8,413)
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Professional, scientific and technical services (5,615)
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 Kitsap County for all industries was $67,613 in 2023.
Top sectors in terms of wage in 2023:
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Information ($128,317)
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Utilities ($124,893)
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Management of companies and enterprises ($99,098)
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Professional, scientific and technical services ($97,273)
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Finance and insurance ($90,796)
Workforce demographics in Kitsap County
Age
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population 16 years and over | 227,461 | 61.9% | 4.8% |
| 16 to 19 years | 11,552 | 44.0% | 18.9% |
| 20 to 24 years | 19,485 | 89.5% | 8.2% |
| 25 to 29 years | 19,980 | 82.9% | 5.0% |
| 30 to 34 years | 20,072 | 81.0% | 4.6% |
| 35 to 44 years | 36,023 | 83.1% | 3.9% |
| 45 to 54 years | 30,759 | 78.7% | 3.0% |
| 55 to 59 years | 18,392 | 72.2% | 3.4% |
| 60 to 64 years | 18,333 | 54.6% | 3.0% |
| 65 to 74 years | 32,537 | 20.7% | 5.9% |
| 75 years and over | 20,328 | 6.3% | 1.5% |
Race or Hispanic origin
| White alone | 178,473 | 60.4% | 4.6% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black or African American alone | 5,853 | 70.9% | 1.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone | 2,276 | 63.8% | 4.4% |
| Asian alone | 11,795 | 61.7% | 4.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone | 1,976 | 57.7% | 4.5% |
| Some other race alone | 5,523 | 74.2% | 5.0% |
| Two or more races | 21,565 | 69.1% | 7.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) | 17,894 | 71.6% | 5.7% |
| White alone, not Hispanic or Latino | 172,926 | 59.8% | 4.6% |
| Population 20 to 64 years | 163,044 | 78.3% | 4.2% |
Sex
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 86,143 | 86.2% | 4.2% |
| Female | 76,901 | 69.5% | 4.3% |
Females with children
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| With own children under 18 | 26,645 | 65.8% | 3.4% |
| With own children under 6 only | 7,524 | 59.8% | 3.6% |
| With own children under 6 and 6 to 17 | 4,940 | 56.8% | 5.1% |
| With own children 6 to 17 only | 14,181 | 72.2% | 2.8% |
Poverty status in the past 12 months
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below poverty level | 13,119 | 42.1% | 19.1% |
| At or above the poverty level | 145,050 | 81.2% | 3.5% |
Disability status
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| With any disability | 18,965 | 50.3% | 10.6% |
Educational attainment
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population 25 to 64 years | 143,559 | 76.8% | 3.8% |
| Less than high school graduate | 6,862 | 56.5% | 8.4% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 31,765 | 71.0% | 6.5% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 54,335 | 76.9% | 3.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50,597 | 83.0% | 2.7% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, S2301 | Employment Status
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