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OLYMPIA - County unemployment rates and employment data for May 2015 are now available online. Use the historical estimates report to view prior months' data.

Please keep in mind: Unemployment rates at the county level are not seasonally adjusted because the sample size is too small to accommodate that additional analysis. Therefore, they should not be compared directly to the seasonally adjusted statewide rate that we announced last week.

At the top of the state map on which we've posted the county unemployment rates, we've posted the statewide, non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for direct comparison.

Here is the release schedule for the rest of 2015.

Data for month of:

• June 2015: Statewide numbers released July 15; County numbers released July 21
• July 2015: Statewide numbers released August 19; County numbers released August 25

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Broadcast version

Washington's average annual wage grew to more than 54-thousand-eight-hundred dollars in 2014 - a four-point-two percent increase and the largest percentage increase since 2007 - according to the state Employment Security Department.

The three industries with the greatest wage growth were the information industry; arts, entertainment and recreation; and retail trade.

The average annual wage is used to compute the minimum and maximum unemployment benefits for jobless workers.

Because of the average-wage increase, the minimum unemployment benefit will increase to $158.

The maximum weekly benefit will increase to $664 per week.

The increases take effect only for new unemployment claims filed on or after July 5.

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