March unemployment survey shows rates declined in Bellingham, Whatcom County
Monthly unemployment rates for Whatcom County and Bellingham decreased in March, while Washington’s rate also increased and rose to the 13th highest rate in the country.
Whatcom County
Whatcom County had a 4.3% unemployment rate with 4,555 unemployed people in March, a decrease of 1.2% and 1,356 people compared to February.
In January, Whatcom County’s unemployment rate was 4.9% with 5,389 residents receiving unemployment benefits, an increase compared to December.
Whatcom County’s unemployment rate decreased compared to the previous year, as the March 2024 unemployment rate was 5.4%.
Bellingham
The city of Bellingham’s unemployment rate also decreased month to month. The city’s unemployment rate was 4.0% in March with 1,896 people unemployed, a decrease from February’s 5.1% unemployment rate with 2,428 people unemployed.
Washington
Washington’s preliminary seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate increased slightly from February to March, according to the Washington State Employment Security Department’s March 2025 monthly employment report.
In March, Washington’s unemployment rate was 4.4% with 177,378 people in the state unemployed. In February, the unemployment rate was 4.4%, with 176,850 unemployed people, 528 less than March, according to the report.
Washington had the 13th-highest unemployment rate in March, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In February, Washington also had the 13th-highest unemployment rate in the country.
Washington’s unemployment rate decreased compared to last year. In March 2024, Washington’s unemployment rate was 4.6%, with 185,415 people in the state unemployed, 8,037 more than March 2025.
Data is provided by the Washington State Employment Security Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
This story was originally published April 24, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
