Thurston County profile

Learn about Thurston County's unique labor market information and more.

Posted May 2025

April 2025 Highlights

In April, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from 4.2% to 3.7% and total nonfarm employment decreased by 300 jobs.

Summary

Thurston County is home to Washington’s state capitol of Olympia, and as such, its major employer has historically been state government. While this lessened somewhat during the pandemic, many state agencies are still headquartered in Thurston County. In 2023 government employment was 42,128. Of those, 28,397 were at the state level, about 22% of all employment in the county.  

Other major sectors in Thurston County include health care and social assistance, retail trade, accommodation and food services, and professional, scientific, and technical services.  

Location

A dark blue map of Washington state with Thurston County highlighted in orange.

 

Thurston County is in the South Puget Sound region of Washington. Its largest city is the state capitol of Olympia, and it comprises the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Neighboring counties are Mason County to the north, Pierce to the east, Lewis to the south and Grays Harbor to the west.

Thurston 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 April 2025

Labor force and unemployment

  • The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.7% in April 2025, down from 4.2% in the previous month and down from 4.1% in April 2024.

  • The total civilian labor force was 142,461 in April 2025 and was little changed from April 2024.

  • The number of unemployed persons was 5,320 in April 2025, 524 fewer than in April 2024.  

Unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted

A chart showing the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the United States, Washington and Thurston County from January 2015 to April 2025.

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

Payroll employment

  • Total nonfarm employment was 131,800 in April 2025, not seasonally adjusted. This was down by 300 jobs from the previous month and up by 500 jobs (0.4%) from April 2024.

  • Over the year, employment increased in five industries and decreased in seven industries.

  • The largest increase over the year was in government (1,200 jobs), followed by private education and health services (1000 jobs) and retail trade (400 jobs).

  • The largest decrease over the year was in professional and business services (down 700 jobs), followed by other services (down 300 jobs).  

Nonfarm employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted, Thurston County

NAICS Industry Title Apr 2025 (Prelim) Mar 2025 (Revised) Apr 2024 (Revised) Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change
Total nonfarm 131,800 132,100 131,300 -300 500 0.4%
Total private (total nonfarm less government) 86,200 86,600 86,900 -400 -700 -0.8%
Goods-producing 9,500 9,500 9,800 0 -300 -3.1%
- Mining, logging and construction 6,500 6,600 6,600 -100 -100 -1.5%
- Manufacturing 3,000 2,900 3,200 100 -200 -6.3%
Service-providing 122,300 122,600 121,500 -300 800 0.7%
- Wholesale trade 4,500 4,400 4,200 100 300 7.1%
- Retail trade 12,300 12,400 11,900 -100 400 3.4%
- Transportation, warehousing, and utilities 3,700 3,600 3,800 100 -100 -2.6%
- Information 1,500 1,500 1,700 0 -200 -11.8%
- Financial activities 4,100 4,200 4,300 -100 -200 -4.7%
- Professional and business services 14,000 14,500 14,700 -500 -700 -4.8%
- Private education and health services 21,300 19,800 20,300 1,500 1,000 4.9%
- Leisure and hospitality 11,300 11,300 11,200 0 100 0.9%
- Other services 4,600 4,700 5,000 -100 -400 -8.0%
- Government 45,600 45,500 44,400 100 1,200 2.7%

Note: Data benchmarked through December 2024updated May 16, 2025.
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research Division, Washington employment estimates (WA-QB & CES)
Detailed tables can be found on the source page in the third spreadsheet titled Current employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted.

Industry employment (covered employment)

Employment by industry, Thurston County 2023 annual average

A bar graph showing the 2023 annual average industry employment in Thurston County

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

Average annual covered employment in Thurston County was 126,882 and the average annual wage was $68,201 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.

Thurston County contains the state capital of Olympia, and Government is by far the largest industry. Government employment was 42,128 in 2023, nearly three times larger than the second most populous industry (health care and social assistance, at 16,109). The average annual wage in government was $80,590. Approximately two thirds of all government employment is with the state (28,397 jobs), making state employment about 22% of all jobs.

Top five sectors in terms of employment in 2023:

  • Government (42,128)
  • Health care and social assistance (16,109)
  • Retail trade (12,464)
  • Accommodation and food services (9,410)
  • Professional, scientific and technical services (7,003)

The top five sectors in terms of wage in 2023:

  • Information ($115,124)
  • Management of companies and enterprises ($98,599)
  • Professional, scientific, and technical services ($95,419)
  • Finance and insurance ($95,111)
  • Wholesale trade ($91,453)

Workforce demographics for Thurston County

 

Thurston County’s 16 and over population is 241,254 and 61.9% of that population is in the labor force. Unemployment and labor force participation rates vary across demographic groups. Among the working age population, men and women are unemployed at the same rate (4.9%), though more men are in the labor force (82.8% vs. 73.8%). About 37% of the population aged 25 to 64 holds a bachelor’s degree.

Visit the U.S. Census Bureau website for quick facts about Thurston County.

Age

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Population 16 years and over 241,254 61.9% 5.2%
16 to 19 years 13,149 39.1% 19.3%
20 to 24 years 16,675 81.5% 9.6%
25 to 29 years 20,644 84.6% 4.9%
30 to 34 years 21,806 77.7% 6.0%
35 to 44 years 42,470 80.7% 4.1%
45 to 54 years 35,420 81.9% 3.2%
55 to 59 years 17,120 75.3% 6.6%
60 to 64 years 19,646 60.7% 2.4%
65 to 74 years 33,583 21.9% 2.1%
75 years and over 20,741 4.3% 4.4%

Race or Hispanic origin

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
White alone 184,683 60.3% 5.0%
Black or African American alone 7,816 67.7% 6.8%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone 2,635 63.6% 8.9%
Asian alone 14,826 63.6% 4.6%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone 2,356 76.1% 18.6%
Some other race alone 5,760 68.5% 3.6%
Two or more races 23,178 68.8% 5.6%
Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) 21,049 72.0% 5.2%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 177,698 59.8% 4.9%
Population 20 to 64 years 173,781 78.3% 4.9%

Sex

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Male 86,277 82.8% 4.9%
Female 87,504 73.8% 4.9%

Females with children

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
With own children under 18 30,146 71.8% 3.2%
With own children under 6 only 6,911 66.5% 2.9%
With own children under 6 and 6 to 17 5,552 61.5% 3.8%
With own children 6 to 17 only 17,683 77.1% 3.2%

Poverty status in the past 12 months

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Below poverty level 16,463 43.6% 21.4%
At or above the poverty level 156,054 82.4% 3.9%

Disability status

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
With any disability 22,370 51.6% 8.7%

Educational attainment

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Population 25 to 64 years 157,106 78.0% 4.4%
Less than high school graduate 8,447 63.1% 7.7%
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 34,475 69.6% 6.3%
Some college or associate's degree 55,747 77.0% 4.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher 58,437 85.9% 3.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, S2301 | Employment Status.

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