Grays Harbor County profile

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

Posted April 2025

Summary

Grays Harbor County is a scenic, largely rural area, owing to its location on the Pacific Ocean. Historically its major industries were in timber and fishing. While manufacturing continues to be a major industry, including seafood production, the county’s economy has shifted toward services. Tourism has also played a major role in recent years.

Local government is the largest sector, followed by health care and social assistance, accommodation and food services, retail trade, and manufacturing.

Compared to the statewide average, Grays Harbor County tends to have higher unemployment and lower average wages. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the unemployment rate hit a high of 19.6%. While unemployment has recovered to pre-pandemic levels, Grays Harbor consistently has one of the highest unemployment rates among Washington’s 39 counties.

Location

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

 

Grays Harbor County is located along the Pacific Ocean in western Washington. The county is bordered by Jefferson County to the north, Mason and Thurston counties to the east, and Pacific and Lewis counties to the south. The largest city is Aberdeen, and the county makes up the Aberdeen Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Grays Harbor County is part of the Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Area. Visit the Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board website for information about the 12 workforce regions.

Employment situation for February 2025

Labor force and unemployment

  • The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.3% in February 2025, up from 6.7% in the previous month but down from 7.6% in February 2024.

  • The total civilian labor force was 28,706 in February 2025, down from 29,648 in February 2024.

  • The number of unemployed persons was 2,092 in February 2025, 167 fewer than in February 2024.

Unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted

A chart showing the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the United States, Washington and Grays Harbor County from January 2015 to February 2025.

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

Payroll employment

  • Total nonfarm employment was 23,640 in February 2025, not seasonally adjusted. This was down by 100 jobs from the previous month but up 420 jobs (1.8%) from February 2024.

  • Over the year, goods producing industries added 140 jobs (3.4%) and service providing industries added 280 jobs (1.5%).

  • The largest over the year increase was in mining, logging, and construction (140 jobs), followed by government (120 jobs) and leisure and hospitality (110 jobs).

  • The largest over the year decrease was in education and health services (down 80 jobs).

Nonfarm employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted, Grays Harbor County

NAICS Industry Title Feb 2025 (Prelim) Jan 2025 (Revised) Feb 2024 (Revised) Jan 2025 to Feb 2025 Change Feb 2024 to Feb 2025 Change Feb 2024 to Feb 2025 % Change
Total nonfarm 23,640 23,540 23,220 100 420 1.8%
- Total private (total nonfarm less government) 16,620 16,550 16,320 70 300 1.8%
- - Goods-producing 4,240 4,200 4,100 40 140 3.4%
- - - - - Mining and logging 210 210 190 0 20 10.5%
- - - - - Construction 1,420 1,380 1,300 0 20 1.5%
- - - - Manufacturing 2,610 2,600 2,620 30 140 5.3%
- - Service-providing 19,400 19,340 19,120 60 280 1.5%
- - - - - Wholesale trade 520 530 520 -10 0 0.0%
- - - - - Retail trade 2,620 2,620 2,550 0 70 2.7%
- - - - - Transportation, warehousing, and utilities 520 510 500 10 20 4.0%
- - - - Information 110 110 100 0 10 10.0%
- - - - Financial activities 770 740 740 30 30 4.1%
- - - - Professional and business services 1,280 1,290 1,250 -10 30 2.4%
- - - - Private education and health services 3,110 3,070 3,190 40 -80 -2.5%
- - - - Leisure and hospitality 2,750 2,790 2,640 -40 110 4.2%
- - - - Other services 710 690 730 20 -20 -2.7%
- - Government 7,020 7,000 6,900 20 120 1.7%

Note: Data benchmarked through September 2024, updated March 28, 2025.

Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research (LMIR) Division, Washington employment estimates (WA-QB & CES)

Industry employment (covered employment)

Once a center for forestry and other goods producing sectors, the economy in Grays Harbor County has shifted towards services. Local government is the largest source of employment. In the private sector, the next largest major industries are split evenly between health care and social assistance, accommodation and food services, retail trade, and manufacturing.

Employment by industry, Grays Harbor County 2023 annual average

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

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

Average annual covered employment in Grays Harbor County was 23,424 and the average annual wage was $53,952 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.

Top five sectors in terms of employment in 2023:

  • Government (6,568)
  • Health care and social assistance (2,981)
  • Accommodation and food services (2,664)
  • Retail trade (2,595)
  • Manufacturing (2,560)

High-wage industries in Grays Harbor County tend to be smaller, except for transportation and warehousing (450). Top five sectors in terms of wage in 2023:

  • Utilities ($114,496)
  • Transportation and warehousing ($84,659)
  • Information ($77,995)
  • Management of companies and enterprises ($77,006)
  • Professional, scientific, and technical services ($71,379)

Workforce demographics for Grays Harbor County

Grays Harbor County’s working age (16 and over) population is just under 63,000. The labor force participation rate is 50.9%, lower than the state average. Among the population aged 20 to 64, men and women have similar rates of labor force participation (66.2% and 69.2%) and unemployment (6.9% and 6.5%). Visit the U.S. Census Bureau website for quick facts about Grays Harbor County.

Age

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Population 16 years and over 62,918 50.9% 6.6%
16 to 19 years 3,388 31.4% 16.3%
20 to 24 years 3,529 76.7% 6.2%
25 to 29 years 4,287 73.7% 6.6%
30 to 34 years 4,641 76.5% 12.1%
35 to 44 years 9,176 68.1% 8.1%
45 to 54 years 8,948 71.8% 4.9%
55 to 59 years 5,231 61.4% 4.0%
60 to 64 years 6,280 50.2% 4.5%
65 to 74 years 11,104 18.5% 1.8%
75 years and over 6,334 7.3% 1.9%

Race or Hispanic origin

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
White alone 52,516 49.8% 6.8%
Black or African American alone 1,030 18.0% 12.4%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone 2,448 47.9% 5.6%
Asian alone 826 64.9% 0.0%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone 309 60.5% 3.2%
Some other race alone 1,537 74.2% 2.6%
Two or more races 4,252 62.2% 7.9%
Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) 5,124 66.4% 6.7%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 50,651 49.4% 6.6%
Population 20 to 64 years 42,092 67.6% 6.7%

Sex

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Male 22,421 66.2% 6.9%
Female 19,671 69.2% 6.5%

Females with children

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
With own children under 18 6,046 73.4% 6.4%
With own children under 6 only 1,220 73.2% 13.0%
With own children under 6 and 6 to 17 1,357 65.5% 0.4%
With own children 6 to 17 only 3,469 76.5% 6.2%

Poverty status in the past 12 months

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Below poverty level 5,481 38.6% 29.7%
At or above the poverty level 34,332 76.7% 4.8%

Disability status

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
With any disability 7,162 39.2% 15.6%

Educational attainment

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Population 25 to 64 years 38,563 66.8% 6.7%
Less than high school graduate 4,146 61.9% 13.7%
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 13,747 57.6% 10.5%
Some college or associate's degree 14,388 70.8% 4.2%
Bachelor's degree or higher 6,282 80.8% 2.3%

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

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