Grays Harbor 10th highest unemployment in state

Grays Harbor’s unemployment rate for January was tied for the 10th highest in the state.

According to the Employment Security Department’s not seasonally adjusted numbers, the unemployment rate went up from 7.5% in December to 8.2% in January and Grays Harbor remained tied with Wahkiakum, but at 10th instead of 11th as it was in December.

Grays Harbor’s labor force grew by 100 from December, but the number of those employed fell by 104 and the total number of those on unemployment rose by 204.

The labor force is up 616 from last January and the number of those employed is up 561 from last year.

The ninth highest in the state was Pacific County’s rate of 8.3% in January, up from 7.9% in December.

Pacific County’s labor force dropped 18 from December to January, the number of those employed fell by 55, and those on unemployment rose by 37.

Their labor force and the number of those employed both grew by almost 300 from last January.

Grays Harbor	December 2019	January 2019*	January 2018
Labor Force	28,409	28,509	27,893
Total Employment	26,265	26,161	25,600
Total Unemployment	2,144	2,348	2,293
Unemployment Rate	7.5%	8.2%	8.2%

*Not Seasonally Adjusted

Pacific County	December 2019	January 2019*	January 2018
Labor Force	8,497	8,479	8,188
Total Employment	7,827	7,772	7,474
Total Unemployment	670	707	714
Unemployment Rate	7.9%	8.3%	8.7%