Bellingham and Whatcom County’s jobless rate increased in January, declined statewide
Monthly unemployment rates for Whatcom County and Bellingham increased in January, while Washington saw a decrease in unemployment.
Whatcom County unemployment
Whatcom County had a 4.9% unemployment rate in January with 5,389 unemployed people in the county, an increase of 172 unemployed people compared to December.
In December, Whatcom County’s unemployment rate was 4.7% with 5,217 residents receiving unemployment benefits, an increase compared to November.
Whatcom County’s unemployment rate decreased compared to the previous year, as the January 2024 unemployment rate was 5.1% with 5,761 people unemployed.
Bellingham’s unemployment rate
The city of Bellingham’s unemployment rate also increased month to month. The city’s unemployment rate was 4.6% in January with 2,245 people unemployed, an increase from December’s 4.3% unemployment rate with 2,143 people unemployed.
Washington
Washington’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from December to January, according to the Washington State Employment Security Department’s January 2025 monthly employment report.
In January, Washington’s unemployment rate was 4.3% with 176,278 people in the state unemployed. In December, the unemployment rate was 4.4%, with 1,791 more people unemployed than in January, according to the report.
Washington had the 17th-highest unemployment rate in January, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In December, Washington had the 11th-highest unemployment rate in the country.
Compared to last year, Washington’s unemployment rate in January 2024 was 4.6%, with 185,526 people in the state unemployed, 9,248 more than January 2025.
All data comes from the Washington State Employment Security Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
This story was originally published March 19, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
