Grays Harbor drops to tenth in unemployment despite the growing rate

Grays Harbor’s unemployment rate jumped an entire percentage point from November to December but the county dropped from fourth to tenth highest in the state.

Grays Harbor’s unemployment rate went from 6.2% to 7.2% in December.

Last December the rate was 8.6%.

For the year the average unemployment rate was 7.0% which is the lowest yearly average since before 1990.

Grays Harbor also showed growth in both the labor force and total employment for the second straight year and a decline for the second straight year in both total number of those on unemployment and unemployment rate.

For Pacific County there was also a jump in the unemployment rate from November’s 6.4% to December’s 7.4% but the county dropped from the second highest rate to the ninth in the state.

Last December Pacific County’s rate was 8.3%.

They also saw their lowest yearly unemployment rate since before 1990 with a 6.9% average and they saw their third straight year of growth in the labor force and total employment.

Pacific County’s yearly average for those on unemployment and their unemployment rate also dropped for the third consecutive year.

The complete numbers for November, December, and last December, and the yearly averages can be found in the charts below.