Pierce County profile

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

Posted March 2025

Summary

Pierce County is the second most populous county in the state based on the 2020 census. Tacoma is the county seat and largest city. Pierce County’s economy is supported by various industries, including aerospace, health care, logistics and technology. Its government sector is bolstered by Joint Base Lewis-McChord which is the sector’s largest employer. Pierce County is also home to the Port of Tacoma, the sixth busiest container port in North America and one of the 25 busiest in the world.

The county is a regional component of the Puget Sound economy. Its proximity to King County gives Pierce County residents access to the labor market in both counties. Today, 25% to 30% of workers residing in Pierce County commute to King County for work.

Location

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

Pierce County is located at the southern basin of Puget Sound, and shares contiguous boundaries with six counties: King, Thurston, Kitsap, Mason, Lewis, and Yakima. Formed out of Thurston County in 1852 by the legislature of the Oregon territory, it was named for U.S. President Franklin Pierce. The county is a mix of old and newly incorporated cities, growing unincorporated areas, large-scale federal military installations, and rural areas.

Pierce County is part of the three-county Seattle Tacoma Bellevue MSA and as a subset of the MSA is the Tacoma-Lakewood Metropolitan Division

Employment situation for January 2025

Labor force and unemployment

  • The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Pierce County was 4.5% in January 2025, up from 3.9% in December 2025 and down from 5.0% 12 months ago.

  • The labor force increased over the year, adding 15,364 participants (up 3.2%).

Unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted

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

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

Payroll employment

  • Total nonfarm employment decreased by 7,000 from December 2024 to January 2025.

  • Overall, employment growth continues but is slowing.

  • Over the month, employment increased in two major industry sectors, decreased in eight and was unchanged in two. The largest increase was in financial activities. The deepest losses occurred in private education and health services.

  • From January 2024 to January 2025, total nonfarm employment expanded by 4,400, or 1.3%

  • Over the course of the year, employment in eight major industries expanded, two contracted and two were unchanged.

  • Of the industry sectors, employment in education and health services increased the most while mining, logging and construction experienced the deepest one-year losses.

Nonfarm employment estimates, not seasonally adjusted, Pierce County

NAICS Industry Title Jan 2025 (Preliminary) Dec 2024 (Revised) Jan 2024 (Revised) 25-Jan 25-Jan Jan 2024 to Jan 2025 % change
Total Nonfarm  340,100 347,100 335,700 -7,000 4,400 1.3%
--Total Private 279,500 286,100 276,100 -6,600 3,400 1.2%
---Goods Producing 40,500 41,800 41,200 -1,300 -700 -1.7%
-----Mining, Logging and Construction 23,700 25,000 24,600 -1,300 -900 -3.7%
-----Manufacturing 16,800 16,900 16,500 -100 300 1.8%
---Service Providing 299,600 305,300 294,500 -5,700 5,100 1.7%
-------Wholesale Trade 14,000 13,900 13,300 100 700 5.3%
-------Retail Trade 36,400 37,600 36,300 -1,200 100 0.3%
-------Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities 20,500 21,600 21,300 -1,100 -800 -3.8%
-----Information 2,000 2,100 2,000 -100 0 0.0%
-----Financial Activities 14,900 14,700 14,600 200 300 2.1%
-----Professional and Business Services 42,100 42,900 38,800 -800 3,300 8.5%
-----Educational and Health Services 66,600 68,000 61,500 -1,400 5,100 8.3%
-----Leisure and Hospitality 35,800 36,600 33,900 -800 1,900 5.6%
-----Other Services 13,500 13,500 13,300 0 200 1.5%
-----Government 60,600 61,000 59,600 -400 1,000 1.7%

Note: Data benchmarked through September 2024updated March 17, 2025.

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

Industry employment (covered employment)

Employment in government services makes up roughly 22% of all total nonfarm employment in Pierce County. Joint Base Lewis-McChord figures prominently, particularly through the proportion of federal workers employed. Emerald Queen Casino, which is classified within local government, is also a large employer in the area.

Pierce County serves as a regional provider of health care for the South Puget Sound. MultiCare Health System and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health are the largest providers of health care across the county.

Construction employment is important in Pierce County. Housing development has grown into local suburbs that offers a lower cost alternative for commuters to King County. The continual need to upgrade and modernize facilities at the military base also helps support residential construction activity and military contract work for the construction industry.

Employment by industry, Pierce County 2023 annual average

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

A bar graph showing the 2023 annual average industry employment in Pierce County, from highest to lowestSource: Employment Security Department/Labor Market Information and Research Division, Covered Employment (QCEW)

Average annual covered employment in Pierce County was 330,904 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 (58,671)
  • Health care and social assistance (54,778)
  • Retail trade (36,867)
  • Accommodation and food services (29,482)
  • Administrative and waste management services (24,768)

Wages can vary substantially from one industry sector to another. The average annual wage in Pierce County for all industries was $66,977 in 2023.

The top five sectors in terms of wage in 2023:

  • Utilities ($120,194)
  • Finance and insurance ($98,559)
  • Information ($97,354)
  • Utilities ($96,721)
  • Real estate and rental and leasing ($95,594)

Workforce demographics for Pierce County

Age

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Population 16 years and over 11,508 47.0% 6.7%
16 to 19 years 558 45.5% 22.0%
20 to 24 years 828 62.8% 8.5%
25 to 29 years 533 86.5% 5.2%
30 to 34 years 701 70.8% 4.8%
35 to 44 years 1,309 79.8% 6.6%
45 to 54 years 1,523 71.0% 6.4%
55 to 59 years 1,230 50.1% 4.9%
60 to 64 years 1,097 45.5% 9.4%
65 to 74 years 2,417 16.6% 0.0%
75 years and over 1,312 2.7% 0.0%

Race or Hispanic origin

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
White alone 10,147 45.1% 7.0%
Black or African American alone 17 29.4% 0.0%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone 210 43.3% 3.3%
Asian alone 46 15.2% 0.0%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone 25 100.0% 0.0%
Some other race alone 195 53.3% 0.0%
Two or more races 868 69.2% 6.8%
Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) 405 44.7% 15.5%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 10,079 45.3% 7.0%
Population 20 to 64 years 7,221 65.4% 6.5%

Sex

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Male 3,712 71.1% 9.0%
Female 3,509 59.2% 3.4%

Females with children

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
With own children under 18 1,039 68.2% 1.7%
With own children under 6 only 253 83.8% 1.4%
With own children under 6 and 6 to 17 176 63.6% 0.0%
With own children 6 to 17 only 610 63.1% 2.3%

Poverty status in the past 12 months

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Below poverty level 1,201 37.1% 19.5%
At or above the poverty level 5,970 71.6% 5.1%

Disability status

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
With any disability 1,302 30.3% 8.4%

Educational attainment

Demographic characteristic Total Labor force participation rate Unemployment rate
Population 25 to 64 years 6,393 65.7% 6.3%
Less than high school graduate 336 39.3% 5.3%
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 2,294 65.5% 10.2%
Some college or associate's degree 2,586 66.6% 3.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher 1,177 71.5% 5.1%

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

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

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