Counties with the highest unemployment in Washington

2024 ended on a high note, with the unemployment rate relatively unchanged at 4.1%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Jan. 10.

Unemployment rates were higher in November than the prior year in 308 of 389 metro areas, though they dropped in 60 areas and remained unchanged in 21 areas, the BLS reported.

The lion's share of job growth remained in government, social assistance, and health care, with openings in nursing, residential care facilities, and home health care leading employment in the latter sector.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Washington, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in November 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Key takeaways: Biden's economic legacy, inauguration day, and immigration's impact on jobs

The latest BLS report highlights the final job figures under the Biden administration, giving the outgoing president a win during his final weeks in office. President Biden highlighted the creation of 16.6 million jobs during his term in a Jan. 11 statement.

"Although I inherited the worst economic crisis in decades with unemployment above 6% when I took office, we've had the lowest average unemployment rate of any administration in 50 years with unemployment at 4.1% as I leave," he said.

Incoming President-elect Donald Trump will inherit a strong economy, with forecasts tracking ongoing growth into 2025. However, uncertainty remains. Trump's proposed tariffs on foreign goods coupled with a sweeping deportation operation may have a significant impact on the economy, accelerating inflation and tamping down job growth, some experts forecast.

"I worry that immigration will be significantly lower than the long-term average of 1.0 million. I worry that tariffs will be universal and lead to a trade war. That would not be good for the economy and earnings," Hugh Johnson, chairman emeritus at Graypoint, told U.S. News.

What does all this mean for middle-class Americans? The unemployment rate is projected to remain stable, only creeping up to 4.3%, according to the Federal Reserve's latest Summary of Economic Projections. Experts suggest paying down mortgages, revisiting investment strategies, and paying attention to taxes before rates possibly shift as Inauguration Day draws close.

The big story: California wildfires still rage

Although Goldman predicts only a "modest drag" on U.S. jobs due to the devastating California wildfires, the situation is still ongoing. Small businesses destroyed by the fires will impact local jobs; in the wake of the fires, a surge in construction and the need for labor and materials might lead to localized shortages and rising costs, impacting several industries.

However, amid political and environmental uncertainty, it's unclear which way the winds will blow. Americans will have to simply wait for the smoke to clear.

To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Washington.

#39. Asotin County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,464 people (336 unemployed)

#38. King County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 1.4 million people (51,975 unemployed)

#37. Whitman County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,315 people (875 unemployed)

#36. Walla Walla County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 29,001 people (1,141 unemployed)

#35. Chelan County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 46,515 people (1,872 unemployed)

#34. Snohomish County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 467,060 people (18,552 unemployed)

#33. San Juan County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,736 people (328 unemployed)

#32. Kitsap County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 125,143 people (5,423 unemployed)

#31. Spokane County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 257,703 people (11,194 unemployed)

#30. Adams County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,637 people (425 unemployed)

#29. Douglas County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,824 people (979 unemployed)

#28. Benton County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 103,637 people (4,682 unemployed)

#27. Thurston County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 146,954 people (6,562 unemployed)

#26. Kittitas County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,431 people (1,133 unemployed)

#25. Whatcom County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 110,735 people (5,076 unemployed)

#24. Klickitat County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 9,673 people (451 unemployed)

#23. Clark County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 237,817 people (11,279 unemployed)

#22. Island County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 35,413 people (1,704 unemployed)

#21. Columbia County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,665 people (81 unemployed)

#20. Skagit County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 60,675 people (2,996 unemployed)

#19. Lincoln County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,428 people (220 unemployed)

#18. Pierce County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 442,633 people (22,687 unemployed)

#17. Skamania County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,351 people (278 unemployed)

#16. Okanogan County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,557 people (970 unemployed)

#15. Grant County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 47,285 people (2,472 unemployed)

#14. Cowlitz County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 47,091 people (2,508 unemployed)

#13. Garfield County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 726 people (39 unemployed)

#12. Jefferson County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,788 people (652 unemployed)

#11. Franklin County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 42,056 people (2,329 unemployed)

#10. Pend Oreille County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,974 people (285 unemployed)

#9. Stevens County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,761 people (1,070 unemployed)

#8. Mason County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 25,262 people (1,443 unemployed)

#7. Clallam County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 28,408 people (1,670 unemployed)

#6. Lewis County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 33,236 people (1,948 unemployed)

#5. Yakima County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 123,191 people (7,293 unemployed)

#4. Pacific County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,085 people (511 unemployed)

#3. Wahkiakum County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 1,268 people (84 unemployed)

#2. Grays Harbor County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,387 people (1,878 unemployed)

#1. Ferry County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,204 people (182 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Elena Cox, writing by Alizah Salario, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.