October unemployment rates increase in Grays Harbor/Pacific

After local unemployment rates dropped below 5% in September, both Grays Harbor and Pacific County saw an increase in October.

In the latest data from the Employment Security Department it shows that both local counties remain among the 5 highest rates statewide.

For October, the Grays Harbor unemployment rate increased to 5.7%. In September the rate had fallen to 4.8%, down from the 5.5% rate in August.

Pacific also saw an increase over the month, seeing a change to 5.8% from the 4.9% they saw in September.

Pacific holds the third highest rate statewide, with Grays Harbor sitting at fourth.

Grays Harbor saw little change within the local Civilian Labor Force month-to-month, with a drop in around 30 people, although an additional 266 people were added onto Total Unemployment.

Pacific saw a greater loss of almost 100 people coming off the local labor force and almost 80 added to unemployment totals.

While the counties remain ranked high as compared to other areas of the state, the local rates continue to be at a rate lower than the historical totals over prior October figures.

Once again Ferry and Wahkiakum counties hold the highest unemployment rates in Washington at 6.9% and 6.3% respectively.

Statewide unemployment for October sat at 3.8% while the preliminary nationwide rate is 3.9%.

County unemployment rates and employment data for October 2023 is available online.