Whatcom County’s jobless rate rose slightly in December but was better than previous year
Monthly unemployment rates for Whatcom County and Bellingham increased in December, while Washington had the 11th-highest unemployment rate in the United States.
Whatcom County unemployment
Whatcom County had a 4.7% unemployment rate in December, with 5,217 unemployed people in the county, an increase of 159 unemployed people compared to November.
In November, Whatcom County’s unemployment rate was 4.6% with 5,058 residents receiving unemployment benefits, an increase compared to October.
Whatcom County’s unemployment rate decreased compared to the previous year, as the December 2023 unemployment rate was 5.1% with 5,867 people unemployed.
Bellingham’s unemployment rate
The city of Bellingham’s unemployment rate also increased month to month. The city’s unemployment rate was 4.7% in December with 2,192 people unemployed, an increase from November’s 4.5% unemployment rate with 2,141 people unemployed.
Washington state
Washington’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from November to December, according to the Washington State Employment Security Department’s December 2024 monthly employment report.
In December, Washington’s unemployment rate was 4.5% with 181,451 people in the state unemployed. In November, the unemployment rate was 4.6%, with 3,847 more people unemployed than in December, according to the report.
Washington had the 11th-highest unemployment rate in December, following Nevada, the District of Columbia, California, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan, South Carolina, Alaska, Rhode Island and New Jersey, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In November, Washington had the seventh-highest unemployment rate in the country.
Washington’s unemployment rate in December 2023 was 4.2%, with 170,380 people in the state unemployed, 11,071 fewer than December 2024.
All data comes from the Washington State Employment Security Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
