Posted February 2025
Summary
Lewis County is a large, centrally located county in southwest Washington. It is a gateway between lumber producing regions and major transportation routes. Wood product manufacturing is a major industry. In recent years, Lewis County has also become a major center of trade, transportation and warehousing. Other major industries include government, health care and social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation and food services.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the unemployment rate in Lewis County hit a peak of 17.6%. In subsequent years unemployment has improved, though it still tends to be higher than the statewide average.
Location
Lewis County is located in southwest Washington. It is well connected along Interstate 5, and shares borders with eight neighboring counties. These are Grays Harbor, Thurston, and Pierce counties to the north, Yakima to the east, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz and Skamania to the south, and Pacific to to the west.
Lewis County ‘s largest city is Centralia. The county is part of the Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Area. Visit the Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board website for information about the 12 workforce regions.
Employment situation for December 2024
Labor force and unemployment
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The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.2% in December 2024, up from 5.9% in November 2024 and down slightly from 6.3% in December 2023.
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The total civilian labor force was 33,319, down from 34,960 in December 2023.
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There were 2,069 unemployed persons — 139 fewer than in the previous year.
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 was 26,980 in December 2024, not seasonally adjusted. This was up by 90 jobs (0.3%) from December 2023.
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Over the year, employment in goods producing industries increased by 160 jobs (3.2%), while employment in service providing industries decreased by 70 jobs (-0.3%).
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The largest over the year increases were in construction (90 jobs), retail trade (90 jobs) and government (80 jobs).
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The largest over the year decreases were in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (140 jobs), wholesale trade (50 jobs), education and health services (50 jobs), and leisure and hospitality (50 jobs).
Nonfarm employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted, Lewis 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 | 26,980 | 26,780 | 26,890 | 200 | 90 | 0.3% |
| Total Private | 22,110 | 21,870 | 22,100 | 240 | 10 | 0.0% |
| Goods Producing | 5,110 | 5,080 | 4,950 | 30 | 160 | 3.2% |
| ---Mining, Logging, and Construction | 2,020 | 2,000 | 1,920 | 20 | 100 | 5.2% |
| -------Mining and Logging | 470 | 470 | 460 | 0 | 10 | 2.2% |
| -------Construction | 1,550 | 1,530 | 1,460 | 20 | 90 | 6.2% |
| ---Manufacturing | 3,090 | 3,080 | 3,030 | 10 | 60 | 2.0% |
| Service Providing | 21,870 | 21,700 | 21,940 | 170 | -70 | -0.3% |
| ---Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 6,840 | 6,760 | 6,940 | 80 | -100 | -1.4% |
| -------Wholesale Trade | 1,480 | 1,470 | 1,530 | 10 | -50 | -3.3% |
| -------Retail Trade | 3710 | 3660 | 3620 | 50 | 90 | 2.5% |
| -------Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities | 1,650 | 1,630 | 1,790 | 20 | -140 | -7.8% |
| ---Information and Financial Activities | 900 | 900 | 880 | 0 | 20 | 2.3% |
| ---Professional and Business Services | 1,470 | 1,420 | 1,440 | 50 | 30 | 2.1% |
| ---Education and Health Services | 4,460 | 4,420 | 4,510 | 40 | -50 | -1.1% |
| ---Leisure and Hospitality | 2,710 | 2,660 | 2,760 | 50 | -50 | -1.8% |
| ---Government | 4,870 | 4,910 | 4,790 | -40 | 80 | 1.7% |
| -------Federal Government | 240 | 250 | 250 | -10 | -10 | -4.0% |
| -------State and Local Government | 4,630 | 4,660 | 4,540 | -30 | 90 | 2.0% |
| -----------State and Local Government Education | 2,590 | 2,620 | 2,550 | -30 | 40 | 1.6% |
Note: Data benchmarked through June 2024, updated Jan. 16, 2025. Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research (LMIR) Division, Washington employment estimates (WA-QB & CES)
Industry employment (covered employment)
Employment by industry, Lewis County 2023 annual average
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research Division, Covered Employment (QCEW)
Average annual covered employment in Lewis County was 27,268 and the average annual wage was $55,149 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.
Employment is fairly balanced by industry, though the public sector makes up a large part of the economy. Another major sector is in trade (both retail and wholesale) and transportation and warehousing. Together these three sectors make up 6,076 jobs, or about 25% of all employment.
Top five sectors in terms of employment in 2023:
- Government (4,827)
- Health care and social assistance (4,038)
- Retail trade (3,753)
- Manufacturing (3,029)
- Accommodation and food services (2,602)
The top five sectors in terms of wage in 2023:
- Utilities ($138,045)
- Manufacturing ($71,724)
- Finance and insurance ($69,062)
- Professional, scientific, and technical services ($66,076)
- Wholesale trade ($65,010)
Workforce demographics for Lewis County
Employment status varies across demographic groups, with overall labor force participation (55.3%) driven by older workers exiting the workforce. Among the population aged 20-64, men tend to have higher labor force participation (77.7% vs. 65.2%) and higher unemployment (6.3% vs. 4.0%), though women with children under age 6 have the most difficulty finding work at 8.4% unemployment. Workers with less than a high school diploma have a much higher unemployment rate (9.0%) compared to those with a high school diploma or higher. Visit the U.S. Census Bureau website for quick facts about Lewis County.
Age
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population 16 years and over | 67,977 | 55.3% | 5.9% |
| 16 to 19 years | 3,923 | 45.4% | 22.3% |
| 20 to 24 years | 4,160 | 75.3% | 14.1% |
| 25 to 29 years | 4,969 | 73.7% | 6.8% |
| 30 to 34 years | 5,143 | 79.1% | 4.9% |
| 35 to 44 years | 10,250 | 73.3% | 4.8% |
| 45 to 54 years | 9,861 | 76.3% | 2.6% |
| 55 to 59 years | 5,455 | 65.2% | 2.1% |
| 60 to 64 years | 6,437 | 56.5% | 6.1% |
| 65 to 74 years | 10,792 | 22.1% | 3.4% |
| 75 years and over | 6,987 | 4.8% | 2.7% |
Race or Hispanic origin
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White alone | 58,471 | 54.0% | 5.8% |
| Black or African American alone | 498 | 50.4% | 3.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone | 667 | 49.8% | 7.2% |
| Asian alone | 831 | 75.8% | 7.5% |
| Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone | 183 | 60.1% | 0.0% |
| Some other race alone | 1,849 | 62.0% | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 5,478 | 64.5% | 8.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) | 6,003 | 71.6% | 5.2% |
| White alone, not Hispanic or Latino | 56,770 | 53.2% | 5.9% |
| Population 20 to 64 years | 46,275 | 71.5% | 5.3% |
Sex
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 23,373 | 77.7% | 6.3% |
| Female | 22,902 | 65.2% | 4.0% |
Females with children
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| With own children under 18 | 8,012 | 69.5% | 3.6% |
| With own children under 6 only | 1,520 | 56.4% | 8.4% |
| With own children under 6 and 6 to 17 | 1,958 | 56.8% | 0.0% |
| With own children 6 to 17 only | 4,534 | 79.4% | 3.6% |
Poverty status in the past 12 months
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below poverty level | 6,140 | 37.6% | 20.1% |
| At or above the poverty level | 39,897 | 77.1% | 4.1% |
Disability status
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| With any disability | 8,029 | 42.6% | 10.7% |
Educational attainment
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population 25 to 64 years | 42,115 | 71.1% | 4.3% |
| Less than high school graduate | 4,090 | 60.1% | 9.0% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 13,457 | 63.3% | 5.9% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 16,245 | 73.7% | 3.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8,323 | 84.2% | 2.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, S2301 | Employment Status.
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