Grant County profile

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

Posted August 2025

July 2025 highlights

In July, the not seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate increased from 4.5% to 5.8%. Total nonfarm employment decreased by 450 jobs in Grant County from July 2024.

Summary

Grant County has a labor supply of 46,286 workers as of July 2025 and the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 5.8%. Nonfarm employment in Grant County was 34,920 in July 2025, a decrease of 450 jobs from July 2024 but an increase of 170 jobs from June 2025. Agriculture, forestry and fishing make up the largest industry sector with an annual average employment of 8,976 out of 42,564 total annual average employment. The county has 2,495 establishments. Grant County’s 16 and older population was 75,012 in 2023.

Geography

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

 

Grant County is in central Washington. The county has a large lake where it’s largest city, Moses Lake, surrounds it and takes the name.

Employment situation for July 2025

Labor force and unemployment

  • The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.8% during July 2025, up from 5.1% in July 2024.

  • The July 2025 labor force of 46,286 workers decreased by 2,868 from July 2024.

  • The total number of employed workers was 43,598, a decrease of 3,069 workers from July 2024 to July 2025.

Unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted

A chart showing the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the United States, Washington and Grant County from Jan 2015 to Jul 2025.

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

Payroll employment

  • Nonfarm employment in Grant County was 34,920 in July 2025, a decrease of 450 jobs from July 2024 but an increase of 170 jobs from June 2025.

  • Manufacturing increased 150 jobs from June 2025 to July 2025 but remained unchanged from July 2024.

  • Construction increased by 180 jobs from July 2024 to July 2025 and increased by 50 jobs over the month.

  • Transportation, warehousing, and utilities increased 50 jobs over the month, but has decreased 130 jobs from July 2024.

  • Professional and business services decreased 40 jobs from July 2024 to July 2025 and decreased 210 jobs over the month.

  • Health care and social assistance decreased 140 jobs from July 2024 to July 2025 and decreased 280 jobs over the month.

  • Leisure and hospitality decreased by 290 jobs from July 2024 to July 2025 but increased 130 jobs over the month.

  • The government sector decreased 10 jobs from July 2024 to July 2025 but increased by 190 jobs over the month.

Nonfarm employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted, Grant County

NAICS Industry Title Jul 2025 (Prelim) Jun 2025 (Revised) Jul 2024 (Revised) Jun 2025 to Jul 2025 Change Jul 2024 to Jul 2025 Change Jul 2024 to Jul 2025 % Change
Total nonfarm 34,920 34,750 35,370 170 -450 -1.3%
Total private (total nonfarm less government) 25,800 25,810 26,230 -10 -430 -1.6%
Goods-producing 6,980 6,770 6,790 210 190 2.8%
- Mining and logging 50 50 40 0 10 25.0%
- Construction 2,000 1,950 1,820 50 180 9.9%
- Manufacturing 4,920 4,770 4,920 150 0 0.0%
Service-providing 27,940 27,980 28,580 -40 -640 -2.2%
- Wholesale trade 2,030 2,080 2,110 -50 -80 -3.8%
- Retail trade 3,580 3,570 3,580 10 0 0.0%
- Transportation, warehousing, and utilities 1,260 1,170 1,320 90 -60 -4.5%
- Information 680 690 690 -10 -10 -1.4%
- Financial activities 840 790 830 50 10 1.2%
- Professional and business services 3,300 3,510 3,340 -210 -40 -1.2%
- Private education and health services 3,370 3,670 3,500 -300 -130 -3.7%
- Leisure and hospitality 3,060 2,930 3,350 130 -290 -8.7%
- Other services 700 630 730 70 -30 -4.1%
- Government 9,120 8,930 9,130 190 -10 -0.1%

Note: Data benchmarked through March 2025, updated August 14, 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, Grant County 2023 annual average

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

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

Top sectors in terms of employment in 2023:

  • Agriculture, forestry, and fishing (8,976 jobs)
  • Local government (7,364 jobs)
  • Manufacturing (4,532 jobs)
  • Retail trade (3,538 jobs)
  • Health services (3,114 jobs)

Wages can vary substantially from one industry sector to another. The average annual wage in Grant County was $60,334, which was 69.3% of Washington state’s average annual wage of $87,091.

Top five sectors in terms of wages/payroll in 2023:

  • Local government ($523.8 million)
  • Agriculture, forestry, and fishing ($352.9 million)
  • Manufacturing ($312.0 million)
  • Professional and business services ($236.1 million)
  • Wholesale trade ($177.4 million)

Workforce demographics for Grant County

Grant County’s 16 and older population was 75,012 in 2023. The labor force participation rate in Grant County was 63.3% with an average unemployment rate of 6.9%.

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

Age

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Population 16 years and over 75,012 62.6% 6.3%
16 to 19 years 6,418 44.4% 12.3%
20 to 24 years 6,605 77.7% 14.2%
25 to 29 years 6,945 82.4% 4.0%
30 to 34 years 6,781 78.9% 2.9%
35 to 44 years 12,116 81.8% 4.2%
45 to 54 years 10,846 81.3% 5.4%
55 to 59 years 5,289 71.8% 8.9%
60 to 64 years 5,619 53.4% 7.0%
65 to 74 years 8,714 22.4% 3.3%
75 years and over 5,679 7.7% 0.0%

Race or Hispanic origin

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
White alone 46,100 57.3% 5.7%
Black or African American alone 903 55.5% 8.8%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone 1,239 67.2% 10.5%
Asian alone 946 78.4% 15.2%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone 18 27.8% 0.0%
Some other race alone 15,352 73.1% 6.0%
Two or more races 10,454 69.4% 7.5%
Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) 28,585 74.0% 6.5%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 41,058 55.4% 6.0%
Population 20 to 64 years 54,201 77.0% 6.1%

Sex

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Male 28,198 82.6% 6.4%
Female 26,003 70.9% 5.7%

Females with children

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
With own children under 18 10,978 73.0% 3.9%
With own children under 6 only 1,928 67.6% 1.5%
With own children under 6 and 6 to 17 3,457 65.5% 5.6%
With own children 6 to 17 only 5,593 79.5% 3.8%

Poverty status in the past 12 months

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Below poverty level 7,811 50.2% 20.8%
At or above the poverty level 46,207 81.8% 4.6%

Disability status

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
With any disability 6,934 43.6% 10.7%

Educational attainment

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Population 25 to 64 years 47,596 76.9% 5.0%
Less than high school graduate 9,348 72.8% 5.5%
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 13,532 74.0% 4.7%
Some college or associate's degree 15,901 77.1% 3.0%
Bachelor's degree or higher 8,815 85.2% 8.2%

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

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