Whatcom’s jobless rate at a level not seen in more than 28 years

Whatcom’s unemployment rate is now at a level not seen in more than 28 years.

The not-seasonally adjusted rate for September was 4 percent, according to data from the state’s Employment Security Department. Whatcom’s monthly rate has not been below 4.2 percent since 1990.

The local economy continues to be experiencing broad-based growth, with nearly all the industries adding jobs in the past year, said Anneliese Vance-Sherman, a regional labor economist for the state.

“Employment growth continues to hover in the 3 percent range, adding 3,000 jobs over the year,” Vance-Sherman said in an email.

Construction and manufacturing continue to be main drivers in the job market, according to the state’s data. Whatcom added 700 construction jobs in the past year, while manufacturing jobs rose by 600. Tourism is also growing, with the leisure and hospitality category adding 1,100 jobs in the past year.

The only sectors that had a year-over-year decrease were retail (down 200 jobs) and local and state government (down 500).

The Washington county with the lowest unemployment rate last month was Chelan, coming in at 3.1 percent. Ferry was the only county above 6 percent last month, at 7.5 percent. According to the data, 10 of Washington’s 39 counties have an unemployment rate under 4 percent.