WA!JOBS=LAUS(53)
Washington: jobs and unemployment
Unemployment, employment and the labor force in Washington from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
BLS LAUSLatest month: September 2026
Unemployment, September 20264.8%#45 of 51 · #1 = lowest
Annual average, 20254.7%US 4.3%, weighted by labor force
Labor force, 20254.05M+0.3% on a year earlier
Employed, 20253.86M189,789 unemployed
Labor forceEmployed
| Year | Unemployment rate | Labor force | Employed | Unemployed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.7% | 4,052,156 | 3,862,367 | 189,789 | |
| 2024 | 4.5% | 4,039,646 | 3,858,057 | 181,589 | |
| 2023 | 4.2% | 4,027,320 | 3,857,883 | 169,437 | |
| 2022 | 4.1% | 3,972,559 | 3,810,893 | 161,666 | |
| 2021 | 5.2% | 3,890,972 | 3,688,977 | 201,995 | |
| 2020 | 8.7% | 3,903,501 | 3,564,374 | 339,127 | |
| 2019 | 4.2% | 3,946,211 | 3,781,127 | 165,084 | |
| 2018 | 4.4% | 3,823,475 | 3,655,366 | 168,109 | |
| 2017 | 4.7% | 3,734,160 | 3,560,192 | 173,968 | |
| 2016 | 5.2% | 3,643,850 | 3,455,671 | 188,179 | |
| 2015 | 5.5% | 3,549,940 | 3,355,580 | 194,360 | |
| 2014 | 5.9% | 3,485,059 | 3,278,075 | 206,984 | |
| 2013 | 6.7% | 3,446,763 | 3,217,517 | 229,246 | |
| 2012 | 8.5% | 3,481,136 | 3,186,534 | 294,602 | |
| 2011 | 9.4% | 3,487,058 | 3,157,944 | 329,114 | |
| 2010 | 10.0% | 3,519,536 | 3,167,286 | 352,250 | |
| 2009 | 9.1% | 3,530,397 | 3,210,368 | 320,029 | |
| 2008 | 5.2% | 3,455,916 | 3,277,816 | 178,100 | |
| 2007 | 4.6% | 3,395,364 | 3,238,965 | 156,399 | |
| 2006 | 5.0% | 3,327,767 | 3,162,295 | 165,472 | |
| 2005 | 5.6% | 3,264,730 | 3,082,694 | 182,036 | |
| 2004 | 6.3% | 3,193,687 | 2,993,829 | 199,858 | |
| 2003 | 7.3% | 3,137,136 | 2,909,257 | 227,879 | |
| 2002 | 7.2% | 3,090,880 | 2,869,657 | 221,223 | |
| 2001 | 6.1% | 3,059,553 | 2,874,097 | 185,456 | |
| 2000 | 5.1% | 3,065,055 | 2,910,080 | 154,975 | |
| 1999 | 4.8% | 3,069,923 | 2,921,377 | 148,546 | |
| 1998 | 4.8% | 3,043,167 | 2,897,529 | 145,638 | |
| 1997 | 4.9% | 2,978,504 | 2,833,392 | 145,112 | |
| 1996 | 5.9% | 2,894,554 | 2,723,746 | 170,808 | |
| 1995 | 6.2% | 2,813,999 | 2,639,008 | 174,991 | |
| 1994 | 6.4% | 2,745,789 | 2,571,267 | 174,522 | |
| 1993 | 7.2% | 2,697,842 | 2,504,367 | 193,475 | |
| 1992 | 7.2% | 2,638,015 | 2,448,362 | 189,653 | |
| 1991 | 6.1% | 2,556,731 | 2,399,619 | 157,112 | |
| 1990 | 5.1% | 2,526,938 | 2,397,150 | 129,788 | |
| 1989 | 5.9% | 2,483,369 | 2,337,367 | 146,002 | |
| 1988 | 6.3% | 2,371,906 | 2,223,425 | 148,481 | |
| 1987 | 7.3% | 2,292,930 | 2,126,401 | 166,529 | |
| 1986 | 8.1% | 2,211,720 | 2,032,991 | 178,729 | |
| 1985 | 8.3% | 2,123,640 | 1,947,214 | 176,426 | |
| 1984 | 9.3% | 2,084,457 | 1,891,312 | 193,145 | |
| 1983 | 11.1% | 2,067,720 | 1,838,213 | 229,507 | |
| 1982 | 11.7% | 2,040,626 | 1,800,905 | 239,721 | |
| 1981 | 9.3% | 2,001,241 | 1,814,897 | 186,344 | |
| 1980 | 8.0% | 1,977,044 | 1,819,779 | 157,265 | |
| 1979 | 6.8% | 1,918,785 | 1,789,134 | 129,651 | |
| 1978 | 6.8% | 1,809,452 | 1,686,389 | 123,063 | |
| 1977 | 8.4% | 1,708,029 | 1,565,199 | 142,830 | |
| 1976 | 8.8% | 1,616,057 | 1,474,505 | 141,552 |
BLS LAUS: monthly rates are seasonally adjusted; annual averages are not seasonally adjusted.