Washington Jobless Rate Holds at 5.2% Despite 10,600 New Jobs
Updated
Updated · seattlered.com · Jun 18
Washington Jobless Rate Holds at 5.2% Despite 10,600 New Jobs
3 articles · Updated · seattlered.com · Jun 18
Summary
Washington’s unemployment rate stayed at 5.2% in May even after employers added 10,600 jobs, leaving the state nearly a full point above the 4.3% national rate.
The gain reversed two straight months of losses, but state economist Anneliese Vance-Sherman said one strong month does not signal a meaningful shift.
Private employers supplied 9,000 of the new jobs and government added 1,600, with leisure and hospitality leading at 4,800, followed by manufacturing at 2,200 and construction at 1,600.
Washington still had 7,700 fewer jobs than a year earlier as its labor force grew by more than 17,000, helping keep unemployment elevated despite lower benefit claims and a small drop in Seattle-area joblessness.
The weak showing extends a climb in the state’s jobless rate through 2025 and into 2026, underscoring Washington’s continued lag behind the national labor market.