Grays Harbor falls out of top ten for unemployment
Grays Harbor dropped out of the top ten for unemployment in December.
Grays Harbor’s unemployment rate for December was 7.4% which was tied with Wahkiakum for the 11th highest in the state.
While the unemployment rate did grow from 6.5% in November multiple other counties in the state had their rates lift as well.
Grays Harbor’s labor force grew by 287 from November to December and the total number of those employed grew by nine while those on unemployment rose by 278.
The yearly average unemployment rate for 2018 was 6.7% which was down for the third year in a row.
It was also the third year in a row that the average labor force and the average total number of those employed grew while the average number of people on unemployment fell in Grays Harbor.
Pacific County also saw its unemployment rate grow from November to December and they were tied with Franklin County as the eighth highest in the state with 7.7%.
In December, their labor force grew by 81 and the total number of those employed rose by six while those on unemployment grew by 75.
For Pacific County it was the third year in a row that the average number of those on unemployment and the average unemployment rate fell, but the average labor force and average number of those employed also dropped.
Their average unemployment rate for 2018 was 6.9%.
Pacific County had the fourth highest yearly average and Grays Harbor had the fifth highest.
| Grays Harbor | November 2018 | December 2018* | December 2017 | 2018 Average | 2017 Average |
| Labor Force | 28,675 | 28,962 | 28,188 | 28,109 | 27,971 |
| Total Employed | 26,815 | 26,824 | 26,146 | 26,217 | 25,993 |
| Total Unemployed | 1,860 | 2,138 | 2,042 | 1,892 | 1,978 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5% | 7.4% | 7.2% | 6.7% | 7.1% |
| Pacific County | November 2018 | December 2018* | December 2017 | 2018 Average | 2017 Average |
| Labor Force | 8,520 | 8,601 | 8,417 | 8,403 | 8,410 |
| Total Employed | 7,930 | 7,936 | 7,804 | 7,825 | 7,818 |
| Total Unemployed | 590 | 665 | 613 | 578 | 592 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9% | 7.7% | 7.3% | 6.9% | 7.0% |
*Most recent month not seasonally adjusted
Top 5 Average Unemployment Rate 2018:
- Ferry – 11.7%
- Pend Oreille – 7.3%
- Stevens – 7.2%
- Pacific – 6.9%
- Grays Harbor – 6.7%
