Lewis County profile

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

Posted April 2025

March Highlights

In March, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from 7.2% to 5.7% and total nonfarm employment increased by 460 jobs.

Summary

Lewis County is a large, centrally located county in southwest Washington. It is a gateway between lumber producing regions and major transportation routes. Wood product manufacturing is a major industry. In recent years, Lewis County has also become a major center of trade, transportation and warehousing. Other major industries include government, health care and social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation and food services.  

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the unemployment rate in Lewis County hit a peak of 17.2%. In subsequent years unemployment has improved, though it still tends to be higher than the statewide average.

Location

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

 

Lewis County is located in southwest Washington. It is well connected along Interstate 5, and shares borders with eight neighboring counties. These are Grays Harbor, Thurston, and Pierce counties to the north, Yakima to the east, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz and Skamania to the south, and Pacific to to the west.

Lewis County ‘s largest city is Centralia. The 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 March 2025

Labor force and unemployment

  • The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.7% in March 2025, down from 7.2% in the previous month and down from 6.5% in March 2024.

  • The total civilian labor force was 33,053 in March 2025, down from 33,644 in March 2024.

  • There were 1,870 unemployed persons in March 2025, 307 fewer than in March 2024.

Unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted

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

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

Payroll employment

  • Total nonfarm employment was 26,790 in March 2025, not seasonally adjusted. This was up by 460 jobs from the previous month and up by 270 jobs (1.0%) from March 2024.

  • Over the year, goods-producing industries added 180 jobs (3.7%) and service-providing industries added 100 jobs (0.5%).

  • The largest increase over the year  was in leisure and hospitality (230 jobs), followed by government (150 jobs) and construction (80 jobs).

  • The largest over the year decrease was in private education and health services (down 220 jobs), followed by transportation, warehousing, and utilities (down 80 jobs).

Nonfarm employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted, Lewis 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 26,790 26,330 26,520 460 270 1.0%
Total private (total nonfarm less government) 21,970 21,690 21,840 280 130 0.6%
Goods-producing 5,060 4,970 4,880 90 180 3.7%
- Mining and logging 470 470 440 0 30 6.8%
- Construction 1,470 1,420 1,390 50 80 5.8%
- Manufacturing 3,120 3,080 3,060 40 60 2.0%
Service-providing 21,740 21,370 21,640 370 100 0.5%
- Wholesale trade 1,500 1,500 1,480 0 20 1.4%
- Retail trade 3,540 3,490 3,570 50 -30 -0.8%
- Transportation, warehousing, and utilities 1,520 1,510 1,600 10 -80 -5.0%
- Information 180 170 180 10 0 0.0%
- Financial activities 710 710 710 0 0 0.0%
- Professional and business services 1,460 1,450 1,420 10 40 2.8%
- Private education and health services 4,450 4,450 4,670 0 -220 -4.7%
- Leisure and hospitality 2,920 2,820 2,690 100 230 8.6%
- Other services 630 620 640 10 -10 -1.6%
- Government 4,820 4,640 4,670 180 150 3.2%

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, Lewis County 2023 annual average

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

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

Average annual covered employment in Lewis County was 27,268 and the average annual wage was $55,149 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.

Employment is fairly balanced by industry, though the public sector makes up a large part of the economy. Another major sector is in trade (both retail and wholesale) and transportation and warehousing. Together these three sectors make up 6,076 jobs, or about 25% of all employment.

Top five sectors in terms of employment in 2023:

  • Government (4,827)
  • Health care and social assistance (4,038)
  • Retail trade (3,753)
  • Manufacturing (3,029)
  • Accommodation and food services (2,602)

The top five sectors in terms of wage in 2023:

  • Utilities ($138,045)
  • Manufacturing ($71,724)
  • Finance and insurance ($69,062)
  • Professional, scientific, and technical services ($66,076)
  • Wholesale trade ($65,010)

Workforce demographics for Lewis County

Employment status varies across demographic groups, with overall labor force participation (55.3%) driven by older workers exiting the workforce. Among the population aged 20-64, men tend to have higher labor force participation (77.7% vs. 65.2%) and higher unemployment (6.3% vs. 4.0%), though women with children under age 6 have the most difficulty finding work at 8.4% unemployment. Workers with less than a high school diploma have a much higher unemployment rate (9.0%) compared to those with a high school diploma or higher. Visit the U.S. Census Bureau website for quick facts about Lewis County.

Age

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Population 16 years and over 67,977 55.3% 5.9%
16 to 19 years 3,923 45.4% 22.3%
20 to 24 years 4,160 75.3% 14.1%
25 to 29 years 4,969 73.7% 6.8%
30 to 34 years 5,143 79.1% 4.9%
35 to 44 years 10,250 73.3% 4.8%
45 to 54 years 9,861 76.3% 2.6%
55 to 59 years 5,455 65.2% 2.1%
60 to 64 years 6,437 56.5% 6.1%
65 to 74 years 10,792 22.1% 3.4%
75 years and over 6,987 4.8% 2.7%

Race or Hispanic origin

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
White alone 58,471 54.0% 5.8%
Black or African American alone 498 50.4% 3.6%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone 667 49.8% 7.2%
Asian alone 831 75.8% 7.5%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone 183 60.1% 0.0%
Some other race alone 1,849 62.0% 0.0%
Two or more races 5,478 64.5% 8.5%
Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) 6,003 71.6% 5.2%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 56,770 53.2% 5.9%
Population 20 to 64 years 46,275 71.5% 5.3%

Sex

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Male 23,373 77.7% 6.3%
Female 22,902 65.2% 4.0%

Females with children

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
With own children under 18 8,012 69.5% 3.6%
With own children under 6 only 1,520 56.4% 8.4%
With own children under 6 and 6 to 17 1,958 56.8% 0.0%
With own children 6 to 17 only 4,534 79.4% 3.6%

Poverty status in the past 12 months

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Below poverty level 6,140 37.6% 20.1%
At or above the poverty level 39,897 77.1% 4.1%

Disability status

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
With any disability 8,029 42.6% 10.7%

Educational attainment

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Population 25 to 64 years 42,115 71.1% 4.3%
Less than high school graduate 4,090 60.1% 9.0%
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 13,457 63.3% 5.9%
Some college or associate's degree 16,245 73.7% 3.6%
Bachelor's degree or higher 8,323 84.2% 2.0%

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

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