Grays Harbor/Pacific hold 2nd and 3rd highest unemployment rates in WA

Grays Harbor and Pacific County showed the 2nd and 3rd highest unemployment rates statewide in May.

The Employment Security Department in recently released May figures showed the change.

Grays Harbor had sat at 2nd highest in April, while Pacific went from 9th in April, up to a tie for 3rd highest.

Between April and May, around 800 workers left the Civilian Labor Force in Grays Harbor, with approximately 300 falling from the Total Employment and around 400 from Total Unemployment, leading to the 4.8% unemployment rate.

In April, Grays Harbor also sat at 2nd highest with 4.8%.

Pacific County came in at 3rd highest unemployment statewide in May, with a loss of around 150 from the Labor Force, tied with Pend Oreille County for the month.

The Pacific change was an entire point, from 5.3% in April to the 4.3% May rate.

Washington’s monthly unemployment rate decreased to 4.1% in May.

County unemployment rates and employment data for May 2023 are available online through the ESD website.