The Washington state Employment Security Department (ESD) recently released the unemployment rates for August 2026, showing that unemployment rose in both Lewis and Thurston counties from July.
Specifically, Lewis County’s unemployment rate rose from 4.6% in July to 5.6% in August, while Thurston County saw its unemployment similarly rise from 3.5% to 4.3%.
All local counties saw an increase in unemployment from July to August.
In Skamania County, the unemployment rate rose from 3.3% to 4.1%; there was a 1% increase in Grays Harbor County, from 4.4% to 5.4%; Pacific County rose from 4.7% to 6.1%; Wahkiakum County rose from 5.9% to 6.5%; in Clark County, the rate increased from 3.9% to 4.8%; and Cowlitz County rose from 4.3% in July to 5.2% in August.
Across Washington state, the unemployment rate decreased from 5.0% in July to 4.9% in August. For more information, view the ESD’s monthly employment reports on its website at https://tinyurl.com/2sj6tnzz.
