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September 2026 highlights
Updated October 2026
Compared to August 2026, the unemployment rate decreased from 4.8% to 3.6% (9,201 unemployed individuals). Employers reported 1,700 more jobs on payrolls (for a total of 190,600 jobs).
Clark County's labor market highlights
- Historically a bedroom community of neighboring Portland, Oregon, Clark County's labor market is closely tied to the larger metro area. Though the region spans state lines and has differing tax structures and policies, employers on either side of the border compete for the same labor force.
- Over the last decade, rapid employment growth in health care and social assistance, professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality fueled a corresponding expansion to the construction industry. That construction boom slowed significantly in 2025.
- Advanced manufacturing is a local strength. Two thirds of Washington's jobs in semiconductor and related device manufacturing are located in Clark County.
Contact Clark County's labor economist
Emily Robertson, Southwest coastal region
- Email Emily: emily.robertson@esd.wa.gov
- Call Emily: 360-463-7813
Clark County is part of the Southwest Workforce Development Area. Visit the workforce board’s website for information about Washington’s 12 workforce regions.
Clark County is part of the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Employment updates for September 2026
Changes to the labor force and unemployment
The September 2026 unemployment rate was 3.6% in Clark County, 4.3% in Washington state and 4.0% in the United States.
| Measure | September 2026 | August 2026 | September 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participant (labor force) | 253,367 | 255,082 | 257,210 |
| Employed persons | 244,166 | 242,941 | 246,747 |
| Persons seeking work | 9,201 | 12,141 | 10,463 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 4.8% | 4.1% |
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research (LMIR) Division, Local area unemployment statistics (LAUS).
Clark County unemployment rate, January 2024 - September 2026
Clark County's unemployment rate tends to track closely to the statewide rate, though it has slightly higher seasonal fluctuations.
| Year | Jan. | Feb. | Mar. | Apr. | May | Jun. | Jul. | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4.7% | 5.2% | 4.6% | 3.8% | 4.2% | 3.7% | 4.8% | 4.7% | 3.7% | 4.0% | 4.2% | 4.4% |
|
4.6% | 5.1% | 4.4% | 4.1% | 4.3% | 3.7% | 4.6% | 4.8% | 4.1% | N/A | 4.8% | 5.2% |
|
5.0% | 5.3% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 4.8% | 4.4% | 3.9% | 4.8% | 3.6% |
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research (LMIR) Division, Local area unemployment statistics (LAUS). BLS canceled October 2025's unemployment publications.
Key changes in payroll employment
This includes all employees with paid positions tracked in a company’s payroll system. This doesn’t include agriculture jobs or jobs outside of formal payroll such as freelancers, contractors and self-employed individuals. Numbers in this section are estimates generated by a monthly survey.
In September 2026, Clark County had 190,600 jobs.
Compared with August 2026, September employment increased by 1,700 jobs.
- 500 more construction jobs.
- 500 more government jobs. Much of this increase was in state and local government education, which tend to add jobs seasonally in the fall.
- 300 more leisure and hospitality jobs.
- 200 more retail trade jobs.
Compared with September 2025, this September’s employment was up by 2,100 (1.1%) jobs.
- 1,200 (3.4%) more private education and health services jobs.
- 1,100 (4.4%) more professional and business services jobs.
- 400 (2.2%) more retail trade jobs.
- 900 (4.9%) fewer leisure and hospitality jobs.
Employment estimates for Clark County
See a snapshot of this month's data below. A detailed spreadsheet titled Current employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted is on the source page of our site.
Total jobs
| Industry sector | Sep. 2026 | Aug. 2026 | Sep. 2025 | Aug. 2026 to Sep. 2026 |
Sep. 2025 to Sep. 2026 |
Sep. 2025 to Sep. 2026 % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total nonfarm | 190,600 | 188,900 | 188,500 | 1,700 | 2,100 | 1.1% |
| - Private | 162,100 | 160,800 | 160,100 | 1,300 | 2,000 | 1.2% |
| - Government | 28,500 | 28,000 | 28,400 | 500 | 100 | 0.4% |
Goods-producing jobs
| Industry sector | Sep. 2026 | Aug. 2026 | Sep. 2025 | Aug. 2026 to Sep. 2026 |
Sep. 2025 to Sep. 2026 |
Sep. 2025 to Sep. 2026 % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goods-producing | 32,300 | 31,800 | 32,300 | 500 | 0 | 0.0% |
| - Mining and logging | 200 | 200 | 200 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
| - Construction | 17,900 | 17,400 | 18,100 | 500 | -200 | -1.1% |
| - Manufacturing | 14,300 | 14,200 | 14,000 | 100 | 300 | 2.1% |
Service-providing jobs
| Industry sector | Sep. 2026 | Aug. 2026 | Sep. 2025 | Aug. 2026 to Sep. 2026 |
Sep. 2025 to Sep. 2026 |
Sep. 2025 to Sep. 2026 % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service-providing | 158,300 | 157,000 | 156,200 | 1,300 | 2,100 | 1.3% |
| - Wholesale trade | 6,600 | 6,600 | 6,800 | 0 | -200 | -2.9% |
| - Retail trade | 18,600 | 18,400 | 18,200 | 200 | 400 | 2.2% |
| - Transportation, warehousing, and utilities | 4,400 | 4,400 | 4,300 | 0 | 100 | 2.3% |
| - Information | 3,500 | 3,500 | 3,500 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
| - Financial activities | 10,400 | 10,400 | 10,400 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
| - Professional and business services | 25,900 | 25,800 | 24,800 | 100 | 1,100 | 4.4% |
| - Private education and health services | 36,000 | 35,900 | 34,800 | 100 | 1,200 | 3.4% |
| - Leisure and hospitality | 17,600 | 17,300 | 18,500 | 300 | -900 | -4.9% |
| - Other services | 6,800 | 6,700 | 6,500 | 100 | 300 | 4.6% |
| - Government | 28,500 | 28,000 | 28,400 | 500 | 100 | 0.4% |
Note: Data benchmarked through March 2026, updated October 14, 2026. The current month’s data is preliminary. Analysts continue to refine past months as more related information becomes available. Industry columns use North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) industry titles. Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research Division, Washington employment estimates (WA-QB & CES)
Employment details for industries and sectors
This profile section uses Quarterly Census of Employment and Wage (QCEW) data.
This quarterly census data includes both agricultural and nonagricultural employment and wages for firms, organizations and individuals with employees covered by the Washington State Employment Security Act. Covered employment refers to the total number of employees with this type of coverage.
Top sectors by employment
2025’s annual average was 182,831 total covered employees.
- Healthcare and social assistance - 31,594 jobs.
- Government - 27,852 jobs.
- Retail trade - 18,507 jobs.
- Construction - 17,148 jobs.
- Accommodation and food services - 15,167 jobs.
Top sectors by wages
2025’s annual average wage was $75,455 for covered employees.
- Finance and insurance - $130,009.
- Management of companies and enterprises - $119,504.
- Information - $116,455.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services - $112,162.
- Wholesale trade - $98,733.
2025 annual average employment by industry
Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research (LMIR) Division, Covered Employment (QCEW
Workforce demographics for Clark County
Age
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate |
Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population 16 years and over | 413,515 | 64.2% | 5.3% |
| 16 to 19 years | 25,093 | 36.0% | 16.3% |
| 20 to 24 years | 30,147 | 81.9% | 7.9% |
| 25 to 29 years | 34,309 | 83.3% | 5.3% |
| 30 to 34 years | 36,932 | 83.8% | 6.6% |
| 35 to 44 years | 71,147 | 83.1% | 4.5% |
| 45 to 54 years | 65,917 | 82.6% | 3.3% |
| 55 to 59 years | 31,188 | 77.8% | 5.3% |
| 60 to 64 years | 32,706 | 60.4% | 3.8% |
| 65 to 74 years | 52,944 | 24.2% | 3.5% |
Race or Hispanic origin
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate |
Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White alone | 320,881 | 62.6% | 5.4% |
| Black or African American alone | 8,707 | 70.6% | 3.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone | 3,078 | 63.6% | 4.8% |
| Asian alone | 22,124 | 67.8% | 3.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone | 3,211 | 70.0% | 4.5% |
| Some other race alone | 16,532 | 73.5% | 3.4% |
| Two or more races | 38,982 | 69.9% | 7.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) | 42,654 | 72.2% | 6.3% |
| White alone, not Hispanic or Latino | 311,841 | 62.5% | 5.3% |
| Population 20 to 64 years | 302,346 | 80.0% | 5.0% |
Sex
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate |
Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 151,797 | 86.2% | 5.0% |
| Female | 150,549 | 73.7% | 5.0% |
Females with children
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate |
Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| With own children under 18 years | 53,585 | 70.2% | 5.8% |
| With own children under 6 years only | 11,803 | 65.3% | 6.2% |
| With own children under 6 years and 6 to 17 years | 10,953 | 57.4% | 15.8% |
| With own children 6 to 17 years only | 30,829 | 76.6% | 2.9% |
Poverty status in the past 12 months
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate |
Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below poverty level | 22,882 | 47.0% | 23.3% |
| At or above the poverty level | 278,325 | 83.0% | 4.1% |
Disability status
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate |
Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| With any disability | 34,239 | 53.0% | 10.9% |
Educational attainment
| Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate |
Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population 25 to 64 years | 272,199 | 79.8% | 4.6% |
| Less than high school graduate | 21,312 | 66.0% | 9.0% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 66,372 | 75.6% | 5.1% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 92,974 | 79.2% | 5.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 91,541 | 86.6% | 2.7% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024: ACS 5-year estimates, S2301 | Employment Status
Funding
This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the recipient and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, expressed or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.