Local unemployment rates drop below 5%; local rates still among highest statewide

Unemployment in Grays Harbor and Pacific counties saw a drop between August and September, as did every other county within the state.

Grays Harbor went from the 5.5% unemployment rate in August, falling to 4.8% for September. Pacific also saw a 0.7% drop, moving from 5.6% to 4.9% for the month.

Grays Harbor saw a direct correlation for September with approximately 200 falling off unemployment while seeing an opposite increase into employment of 171. The local civilian labor force saw a 30 person drop to offset the difference.

Pacific County saw 50 people come off unemployment in the month, with approximately 250 being added to Total Employment while seeing almost 200 taken out of the Civilian Labor Force.

Despite the drop locally, it came alongside the lowering of rates statewide, keeping the local counties within the top five highest in Washington. 

Grays Harbor sits at 4th highest, with Pacific at 3rd, sitting only behind Wahkiakum and Ferry counties.

The move to a lower unemployment rate returned the counties to historic lows within the 4-5% range. Since 1990, 2023 features the only times that the rate has been below the 5% mark.

As a comparison, in September 2022 the local rates were at 5.8% and 6.8% for Grays Harbor and Pacific respectively.

Statewide unemployment for September sat at 3.6%.

County unemployment rates and employment data for September 2023 are available online.