Whatcom County profile

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

- Posted March 2025
 

Summary

The preliminary January 2025 from employment data is in for Whatcom County the numbers show 97,300 Whatcom county residents at work in the county this number is 500 below the December 2024 total of 97,800 and 2200 above the 9th January 2024 total of 95,100.

The largest good producing loss occurred in mining, logging and construction which fell 600 jobs over the month. On the service providing side trade transportation and utilities dropped by 400 over the month retail trade part of that grouping fell 200 financial activities was down 100, on the plus side, over the month leisure and hospitality employment grew by 300 jobs.

Over the year mining logging and construction lag by 600 jobs from January 2024 to January 2025. On the plus side leisure and hospitality gained 600 jobs over the year as trade transportation and utilities increased employment by 500 paychecks government employment was up 200 over the year as well.

The January preliminary unemployment rate in Whatcom county was 4.9% the December 2024 rate of 4.5% and down slightly from the January 2024 rate of 5.1%

 Nonfarm employment in Whatcom County totaled 96, 900 in January 2025 (preliminary) — down 400 from the revised December 2024 total of 97, 300. The service providing sector lost 400. Leisure and hospitality gained 100.

Nonfarm employment was up 100 jobs compared to January 2024. Leisure and hospitality lost 500. Manufacturing lost 300. This was offset by gains of 400 jobs in the service providing industry; 300 jobs in trade, transportation, warehousing and utilities; 200 jobs in financial activities; and 100 jobs in professional and business services.

The preliminary unemployment rate for Whatcom County was 4.9% in January 2025 —up slightly from 4.5% in December 2024. The unemployment rate was 5.1% in January of 2024.

Location

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

 

Whatcom County is in northwest Washington. It borders British Columbia, Canada, to the north, Skagit County to the south, and Okanogan County to the east. The Salish Sea lies to the west and the Cascade Mountains rise to the east. Whatcom County’s elevation ranges from sea level to 10,781 feet atop active volcano Mount Baker, also known as Kulshan.

Whatcom is part of the Bellingham Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is also part of Workforce Development Area 3, along with Skagit, San Juan and Island counties. Visit the Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board website for information about the 12 regions.

Employment situation for January 2025

Labor force and unemployment

  • The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4. 9% in January 2025, up from 4. 5% in December 2024 and down relative to 5.1% in January 2024.

  • The labor force contracted by roughly 3,892 over the year.

Unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted

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

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

Payroll employment

  • Total nonfarm employment decreased by 400 from December 2024 to January 2025.

  • One-month employment losses were observed in the government sector; gains were observed in leisure and hospitality.

  • Total nonfarm employment expanded by 100 jobs from January 2024 to January 2025.

  • The largest 12-month increases were attributable to hiring in trade, transportation and utilities (including retail trade) and financial activities. The deepest sector losses were observed in leisure and hospitality and manufacturing.

Nonfarm employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted, Whatcom 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  97,300 97,800 95,100 -500 2,200 2.3%
--Total Private 77,600 78,100 76,200 -500 1,400 1.8%
---Goods Producing 16,500 17,100 17,000 -600 -500 -2.9%
-----Mining, Logging, and Construction 7,400 8,000 8,000 -600 -600 -7.5%
-----Manufacturing 9,100 9,100 9,000 0 100 1.1%
---Service Providing 80,800 80,700 78,100 100 2,700 3.5%
-----Trade, Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities 16,300 16,700 16,000 -400 300 1.9%
-------Retail Trade 10,900 11,100 10,800 -200 100 0.9%
-----Financial Activities 3,400 3,500 4,100 -100 -700 -17.1%
-----Professional and Business Services 9,500 9,500 9,000 0 500 5.6%
-----Leisure and Hospitality 10,800 10,500 9,900 300 900 9.1%
-----Government 19,700 19,700 18,900 0 800 4.2%
-------Federal Government 1,600 1,600 1,500 0 100 6.7%
-------Total State Government 6,400 6,300 6,400 100 0 0.0%
-------Total Local Government 11,700 11,800 11,000 -100 700 6.4%

Note: Data benchmarked through September 2024updated 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, Whatcom County 2023 annual average

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

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

Note: ND stands for not disclosed. ND is used to avoid disclosing data for individual employers. Industries labeled ND are grouped in the Not elsewhere classified category.

Average annual covered employment in Whatcom County was 93,909 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 Whatcom County was $61,929 in 2023.

Top sectors in terms of employment in 2023:

  • Government (15,105)

  • Health care and social assistance (12,938)

  • Retail trade (10,619)

  • Manufacturing (9,052)

  • Accommodation and food services (8,842)

Top sectors in terms of wage in 2023:

  • Information ($128,952)

  • Finance and insurance ($112,239)

  • Professional, scientific and technical services ($95,353)

  • Management of companies and enterprises ($86,833)

  • Construction ($83,608)

Workforce demographics in Whatcom County

Age

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Population 16 years and over 190,060 63.0% 5.1%
16 to 19 years 11,987 47.0% 23.0%
20 to 24 years 22,680 78.3% 8.8%
25 to 29 years 16,170 81.7% 4.7%
30 to 34 years 15,366 79.1% 2.8%
35 to 44 years 29,098 87.7% 2.4%
45 to 54 years 25,513 82.2% 3.4%
55 to 59 years 12,648 74.2% 3.5%
60 to 64 years 14,343 58.8% 3.8%
65 to 74 years 26,015 22.1% 2.8%
75 years and over 16,240 5.5% 11.7%

Race or Hispanic origin

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
White alone 153,135 61.7% 5.0%
Black or African American alone 1,729 67.9% 11.4%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone 3,473 59.8% 10.2%
Asian alone 8,345 66.2% 2.5%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone 576 75.2% 4.5%
Some other race alone 7,626 77.1% 3.6%
Two or more races 15,176 66.9% 5.8%
Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) 16,622 70.7% 4.1%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 149,235 61.4% 5.0%
Population 20 to 64 years 135,818 79.1% 4.2%

Sex

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Male 67,970 84.0% 4.5%
Female 67,848 74.2% 3.8%

Females with children

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
With own children under 18 20,867 71.3% 3.2%
With own children under 6 only 4,727 66.0% 4.4%
With own children under 6 and 6 to 17 4,423 63.2% 3.4%
With own children 6 to 17 only 11,717 76.5% 2.7%

Poverty status in the past 12 months

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Below poverty level 18,236 51.2% 16.6%
At or above the poverty level 116,464 83.9% 3.0%

Disability status

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
With any disability 15,157 51.0% 8.1%

Educational attainment

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Population 25 to 64 years 113,138 79.3% 3.3%
Less than high school graduate 7,523 66.7% 1.7%
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 23,492 74.7% 4.1%
Some college or associate's degree 39,185 76.1% 3.6%
Bachelor's degree or higher 42,938 86.8% 2.9%

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

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