Snohomish County profile

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

- Posted April 2025
 

March 2025 Highlights

In March, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.4% and total nonfarm employment increased by 2,000.

Summary

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held at 4.4% in February and March 2025. One year ago, the unemployment rate was 4.1%. The labor force in Snohomish County consisted of 472,518 workers in March and increased by 6,309 participants over the year. Nonfarm employment in Snohomish County increased by 2,000 to 299,200 jobs over the month but dropped by 4,800 jobs over the year.

Location

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

 

Snohomish County is situated between northern Puget Sound to the west and the crest line of the North Cascade Range to the east. It shares its northern border with rural Skagit County and its south border with King County. Snohomish County is separated from Camano Island (part of Island County) by Davis Slough. The highest point in Snohomish County is Granite Peak (10,541 feet).

The county ranks 13th statewide in terms of total land area (2,087.3 square miles). The geographic distribution of population, economic activity and land use in Snohomish County is diverse, with a mix of rural and urban zones. Population centers are oriented south near the border with King County and west along Interstate 5. By contrast, north and east Snohomish County is characterized by smaller towns and cities, farmland and reservations.

Snohomish County is part of the three-county Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue MSA and part of the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett Metropolitan Division. Snohomish County is the only county in the Snohomish Workforce Development Area. Visit the Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board website for information about the 12 regions.

Employment situation for March 2025

Labor force and unemployment

  • The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.4% in March 2025, unchanged from 4.4% reported in February and up from 4.1% one year ago.

  • The labor force had 472,518 workers in March. This is up by 6,309 participants over the year.

Unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted

A chart showing the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the United States, Washington and Snohomish County from January 2014 to March 2025.

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

Payroll employment

  • Nonfarm employment in Snohomish County increased by 2,000, bringing total estimated employment to 299,200 jobs in March 2025.

  • Over the year, total nonfarm employment decreased by 4,800.

  • The largest one-month job gains were observed in government and professional and business services (up 600 and 500 respectively). Transportation, warehousing and utilities and manufacturing each shed jobs in March.

  • The largest one-year job gains were in transportation warehousing and utilities and government (up 1,100 and 1,000 respectively). The deepest losses were observed in other services, manufacturing, and construction.

Nonfarm employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted, Snohomish County

NAICS Industry Title Mar 2025 (Prelim) Feb 2025 (Revised) Mar 2024 (Revised) Feb 2025 to Mar 2025 Change Mar 2024 to Mar 2025 Change Mar 2024 to Mar 2025 % Change
Total nonfarm 299,200 297,200 304,000 2,000 -4,800 -1.6%
Total private (total nonfarm less government) 256,500 255,100 262,300 1,400 -5,800 -2.2%
Goods-producing 79,300 79,100 83,400 200 -4,100 -4.9%
- Mining, logging and construction 24,800 24,500 26,400 300 -1,600 -6.1%
- Manufacturing 54,500 54,600 57,000 -100 -2,500 -4.4%
Service-providing 219,900 218,100 220,600 1,800 -700 -0.3%
- Wholesale trade 9,600 9,600 9,400 0 200 2.1%
- Retail trade 35,100 34,900 34,900 200 200 0.6%
- Transportation, warehousing, and utilities 8,500 8,700 7,400 -200 1,100 14.9%
- Information 3,600 3,600 3,600 0 0 0.0%
- Financial activities 11,900 11,900 13,000 0 -1,100 -8.5%
- Professional and business services 32,600 32,100 32,300 500 300 0.9%
- Private education and health services 40,000 39,700 39,700 300 300 0.8%
- Leisure and hospitality 28,200 27,900 28,100 300 100 0.4%
- Other services 7,600 7,600 10,500 0 -2,900 -27.6%
- Government 42,700 42,100 41,700 600 1,000 2.4%

Note: Data benchmarked through September 2024updated April 17, 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, Snohomish County 2023 annual average

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

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

Average annual covered employment in Snohomish County was 292,630 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.

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 Snohomish County was $78,847 in 2023.

Top sectors in terms of employment in 2023:

  • Manufacturing (53,867)

  • Government (39,957)

  • Health care and social assistance (35,347)

  • Retail trade (34,582)

  • Construction (25,369)

Top sectors in terms of wage in 2023:

  • Professional, scientific, and technical services ($163,426)

  • Information ($122,763)

  • Manufacturing ($115,679)

  • Utilities ($107,011)

  • Finance and insurance ($105,848)

Workforce demographics in Snohomish County

Age

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Population 16 years and over 669,196 67.2% 4.4%
16 to 19 years 37,608 37.6% 13.1%
20 to 24 years 44,633 80.6% 7.6%
25 to 29 years 55,936 84.9% 4.7%
30 to 34 years 67,309 82.3% 3.8%
35 to 44 years 128,069 83.3% 4.0%
45 to 54 years 107,466 83.9% 3.2%
55 to 59 years 52,610 78.4% 3.2%
60 to 64 years 55,407 62.7% 3.5%
65 to 74 years 75,971 28.1% 3.7%
75 years and over 44,187 6.2% 6.3%

Race or Hispanic origin

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
White alone 461,464 65.7% 4.1%
Black or African American alone 23,755 75.6% 5.2%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone 6,620 58.6% 5.7%
Asian alone 86,772 70.5% 4.4%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone 3,571 61.2% 3.9%
Some other race alone 29,319 71.9% 3.4%
Two or more races 57,695 70.0% 6.0%
Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) 66,794 72.3% 3.8%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 446,503 65.4% 4.2%
Population 20 to 64 years 511,430 80.5% 4.1%

Sex

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Male 261,812 86.8% 3.8%
Female 249,618 73.8% 4.4%

Females with children

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
With own children under 18 91,780 69.8% 4.1%
With own children under 6 only 22,908 67.3% 3.8%
With own children under 6 and 6 to 17 17,677 56.2% 5.0%
With own children 6 to 17 only 51,195 75.6% 4.0%

Poverty status in the past 12 months

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Below poverty level 36,198 42.0% 23.1%
At or above the poverty level 470,791 84.0% 3.3%

Disability status

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
With any disability 50,188 54.8% 8.3%

Educational attainment

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Population 25 to 64 years 466,797 80.5% 3.7%
Less than high school graduate 32,222 66.2% 3.8%
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 103,156 75.1% 5.2%
Some college or associate's degree 153,429 79.9% 3.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher 177,990 86.6% 3.0%

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

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.