Local unemployment rates drop from May to June

Grays Harbor and Pacific County unemployment rates sit at 3rd and 7th highest statewide for June.

Grays Harbor and Pacific County unemployment rates sit at 3rd and 7th highest statewide for June.

Grays Harbor saw an increase of around 200 workers within the Civilian Labor Force from May to June in the numbers released Wednesday from the Employment Security Department. 

Along with that increase, we also saw over 300 added to Total Employment and 130 fell from Total Unemployment for a 5.8% unemployment rate. 

That is down from the 6.3% May rate.

In Pacific County, over 200 were added to their Civilian Labor Force, and just under 250 were added to Total Employment alongside 36 coming off Total Unemployment. The county rate fell from 5.9% in May to 5.4% in June.

Three counties were tied for 4th highest at 5.5%. Pacific County is tied with Pend Oreille for the 7th highest.

Asotin County saw the lowest unemployment rate at 3.4% and Ferry County saw the highest at 7.5%.

Washington’s economy added an estimated 7,100 jobs (seasonally adjusted), and the June unemployment rate remained at 4.9% for the second month in a row.

The national unemployment rate increased from 4.0% in May to 4.1% in June. For comparison, the national unemployment rate (revised) for June 2023 was 3.6%.