Posted May 2025
April Highlights
In April, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from 5.6% to 5.0% and total nonfarm employment increased by 270 jobs since March.
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

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 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 April 2025
Labor force and unemployment
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The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.0% in April 2025, down from 5.6% in the previous month and down from 5.3% in April 2024.
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The total civilian labor force was 33,656 in April 2025, up from 33,101 in April 2024.
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There were 1,667 unemployed persons in April 2025, 73 fewer than in April 2024.
Unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted

Source: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research Division, Local area unemployment statistics
Payroll employment
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Total nonfarm employment was 27,240 in April 2025, not seasonally adjusted. This was up by 270 jobs from the previous month and up by 710 jobs (2.7%) from April 2024.
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Over the year, goods producing industries added 200 jobs (4.2%) and service providing industries added 510 jobs (2.3%)
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The largest increase over the year was in government (190 jobs), followed by leisure and hospitality (160 jobs) and manufacturing (140 jobs).
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The largest decrease over the year was in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (down 40 jobs).
Nonfarm employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted, Lewis County
NAICS Industry Title | Apr 2025 (Prelim) | Mar 2025 (Revised) | Apr 2024 (Revised) | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change |
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NAICS Industry Title Total nonfarm | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 27,240 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 26,970 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 26,530 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change 270 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change 710 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change 2.7% |
NAICS Industry Title Total private (total nonfarm less government) | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 22,350 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 22,260 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 21,830 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change 90 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change 520 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change 2.4% |
NAICS Industry Title Goods-producing | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 5,000 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 4,980 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 4,800 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change 20 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change 200 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change 4.2% |
NAICS Industry Title - Mining and logging | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 460 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 450 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 440 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change 10 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change 20 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change 4.5% |
NAICS Industry Title - Construction | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 1,380 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 1,380 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 1,340 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change 0 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change 40 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change 3.0% |
NAICS Industry Title - Manufacturing | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 3,160 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 3,150 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 3,020 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change 10 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change 140 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change 4.6% |
NAICS Industry Title Service-providing | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 22,240 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 21,990 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 21,730 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change 250 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change 510 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change 2.3% |
NAICS Industry Title - Wholesale trade | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 1,570 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 1,570 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 1,470 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change 0 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change 100 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change 6.8% |
NAICS Industry Title - Retail trade | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 3,580 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 3,590 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 3,580 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change -10 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change 0 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change 0.0% |
NAICS Industry Title - Transportation, warehousing, and utilities | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 1,530 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 1,520 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 1,570 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change 10 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change -40 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change -2.5% |
NAICS Industry Title - Information | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 180 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 180 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 170 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change 0 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change 10 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change 5.9% |
NAICS Industry Title - Financial activities | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 700 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 690 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 700 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change 10 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change 0 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change 0.0% |
NAICS Industry Title - Professional and business services | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 1,450 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 1,490 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 1,460 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change -40 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change -10 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change -0.7% |
NAICS Industry Title - Private education and health services | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 4,770 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 4,700 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 4,680 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change 70 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change 90 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change 1.9% |
NAICS Industry Title - Leisure and hospitality | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 2,950 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 2,920 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 2,790 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change 30 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change 160 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change 5.7% |
NAICS Industry Title - Other services | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 630 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 630 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 620 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change 0 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change 10 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change 1.6% |
NAICS Industry Title - Government | Apr 2025 (Prelim) 4,890 | Mar 2025 (Revised) 4,710 | Apr 2024 (Revised) 4,700 | Mar 2025 to Apr 2025 Change 180 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 Change 190 | Apr 2024 to Apr 2025 % Change 4.0% |
Note: Data benchmarked through December 2024, updated May 16, 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

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 |
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Demographic characteristic Population 16 years and over | Total 67,977 | Labor force participation rate 55.3% | Unemployment rate 5.9% |
Demographic characteristic 16 to 19 years | Total 3,923 | Labor force participation rate 45.4% | Unemployment rate 22.3% |
Demographic characteristic 20 to 24 years | Total 4,160 | Labor force participation rate 75.3% | Unemployment rate 14.1% |
Demographic characteristic 25 to 29 years | Total 4,969 | Labor force participation rate 73.7% | Unemployment rate 6.8% |
Demographic characteristic 30 to 34 years | Total 5,143 | Labor force participation rate 79.1% | Unemployment rate 4.9% |
Demographic characteristic 35 to 44 years | Total 10,250 | Labor force participation rate 73.3% | Unemployment rate 4.8% |
Demographic characteristic 45 to 54 years | Total 9,861 | Labor force participation rate 76.3% | Unemployment rate 2.6% |
Demographic characteristic 55 to 59 years | Total 5,455 | Labor force participation rate 65.2% | Unemployment rate 2.1% |
Demographic characteristic 60 to 64 years | Total 6,437 | Labor force participation rate 56.5% | Unemployment rate 6.1% |
Demographic characteristic 65 to 74 years | Total 10,792 | Labor force participation rate 22.1% | Unemployment rate 3.4% |
Demographic characteristic 75 years and over | Total 6,987 | Labor force participation rate 4.8% | Unemployment rate 2.7% |
Race or Hispanic origin
Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
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Demographic characteristic White alone | Total 58,471 | Labor force participation rate 54.0% | Unemployment rate 5.8% |
Demographic characteristic Black or African American alone | Total 498 | Labor force participation rate 50.4% | Unemployment rate 3.6% |
Demographic characteristic American Indian and Alaska Native alone | Total 667 | Labor force participation rate 49.8% | Unemployment rate 7.2% |
Demographic characteristic Asian alone | Total 831 | Labor force participation rate 75.8% | Unemployment rate 7.5% |
Demographic characteristic Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone | Total 183 | Labor force participation rate 60.1% | Unemployment rate 0.0% |
Demographic characteristic Some other race alone | Total 1,849 | Labor force participation rate 62.0% | Unemployment rate 0.0% |
Demographic characteristic Two or more races | Total 5,478 | Labor force participation rate 64.5% | Unemployment rate 8.5% |
Demographic characteristic Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) | Total 6,003 | Labor force participation rate 71.6% | Unemployment rate 5.2% |
Demographic characteristic White alone, not Hispanic or Latino | Total 56,770 | Labor force participation rate 53.2% | Unemployment rate 5.9% |
Demographic characteristic Population 20 to 64 years | Total 46,275 | Labor force participation rate 71.5% | Unemployment rate 5.3% |
Sex
Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
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Demographic characteristic Male | Total 23,373 | Labor force participation rate 77.7% | Unemployment rate 6.3% |
Demographic characteristic Female | Total 22,902 | Labor force participation rate 65.2% | Unemployment rate 4.0% |
Females with children
Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
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Demographic characteristic With own children under 18 | Total 8,012 | Labor force participation rate 69.5% | Unemployment rate 3.6% |
Demographic characteristic With own children under 6 only | Total 1,520 | Labor force participation rate 56.4% | Unemployment rate 8.4% |
Demographic characteristic With own children under 6 and 6 to 17 | Total 1,958 | Labor force participation rate 56.8% | Unemployment rate 0.0% |
Demographic characteristic With own children 6 to 17 only | Total 4,534 | Labor force participation rate 79.4% | Unemployment rate 3.6% |
Poverty status in the past 12 months
Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
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Demographic characteristic Below poverty level | Total 6,140 | Labor force participation rate 37.6% | Unemployment rate 20.1% |
Demographic characteristic At or above the poverty level | Total 39,897 | Labor force participation rate 77.1% | Unemployment rate 4.1% |
Disability status
Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
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Demographic characteristic With any disability | Total 8,029 | Labor force participation rate 42.6% | Unemployment rate 10.7% |
Educational attainment
Demographic characteristic | Total | Labor force participation rate | Unemployment rate |
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Demographic characteristic Population 25 to 64 years | Total 42,115 | Labor force participation rate 71.1% | Unemployment rate 4.3% |
Demographic characteristic Less than high school graduate | Total 4,090 | Labor force participation rate 60.1% | Unemployment rate 9.0% |
Demographic characteristic High school graduate (includes equivalency) | Total 13,457 | Labor force participation rate 63.3% | Unemployment rate 5.9% |
Demographic characteristic Some college or associate's degree | Total 16,245 | Labor force participation rate 73.7% | Unemployment rate 3.6% |
Demographic characteristic Bachelor's degree or higher | Total 8,323 | Labor force participation rate 84.2% | Unemployment rate 2.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, S2301 | Employment Status.
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