Unemployment drops in Whatcom County and Bellingham, as WA has 5th highest rate in U.S.
Monthly unemployment rates for Whatcom County and Bellingham slightly decreased in August, as Washington state had the fifth highest unemployment rates in the United States.
Whatcom County unemployment
Whatcom County had a 5.0% unemployment rate in August, with 5,581 unemployed people in the county, a slight decrease of 289 unemployed people compared to July.
In July, Whatcom County’s unemployment rate was 5.1% with 5,820 residents receiving unemployment benefits, an increase compared to June.
Whatcom County’s unemployment rate increased compared to last year, as August 2023’s unemployment rate was 4.2%.
Whatcom County’s unemployment rate has fluctuated throughout recent years, and hit an extreme high of 17.4% in April 2020.
Ferry County had the highest unemployment rate in August at 8%, and San Juan County and Asotin had the lowest rate at 3.6%.
Bellingham’s unemployment rate
The city of Bellingham’s unemployment rate has also fluctuated recently.
Bellingham’s unemployment rate decreased month to month. The city’s unemployment rate was 5.1% in August with 2,404 people unemployed, a slight decrease from July’s 5.1% unemployment rate with 2,484 people unemployed.
Washington state unemployment
Washington state’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from July to August, according to the Washington State Employment Security Department’s August 2024 monthly employment report.
In August, Washington’s unemployment rate was 4.8% with 194,566 people in the state unemployed. In July, the unemployment rate was 4.9%, with 1,814 more people unemployed than in August, according to the report.
Washington state had the 5th highest unemployment rate in August, tying with two other states, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Washington’s unemployment rate in August 2023 was 3.6%, with 145,895 people in the state were unemployed, 48,671 fewer than this August.
All data comes from the Washington State Employment Security Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
