Grays Harbor not in top five for highest unemployment

Grays Harbor, WA – Grays Harbor’s unemployment climbed but so did the rates of multiple other counties in the state.

According to the Employment Security Department’s non-seasonally adjusted numbers, Grays Harbor’s unemployment rate grew from 6% in December to 7.6% in January which was the 9th highest in the state for January.

Grays Harbor was in the top 5 for unemployment the previous 21 months in a row.

The last time Grays Harbor was not one of the top 5 counties for highest unemployment was in March of 2020 which was before the shutdowns were enforced due to COVID.

Pacific County fell out of the top 10 for unemployment rate in January with a rate of 7.3%.

It is the first time Pacific County has been outside the top 10 since February of 2020.

Grays Harbor December 2021 January 2022* January 2021
Labor Force 30,360 31,036 28,689
Total Employment 28,543 28,665 25,723
Total Unemployment 1,817 2,371 2,966
Unemployment Rate 6.0% 7.6% 10.3%

*Latest month non-seasonally adjusted

Pacific County December 2021 January 2022* January 2021
Labor Force 8,970 9,559 8,332
Total Employment 8,453 8,863 7,402
Total Unemployment 517 696 930
Unemployment Rate 5.8% 7.3% 11.2%

*Latest month non-seasonally adjusted