The unemployment rate in Lewis County rose to 7.1% in January, several points higher than the state unemployment rate of 4.6% and one of the highest county unemployment rates in Southwest Washington.
Lewis County’s unemployment rate was 6.3% in December 2023.
Washington’s economy lost 3,600 nonfarm jobs in January, according to data released by the Employment Security Department.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates Washington’s private sector lost about 5,300 jobs in January and employers in the public sector added 1,700 jobs.
In December 2023, Washington’s economy gained an estimated 7,700 jobs and the monthly unemployment rate rose from 4.0% to 4.2%.
Across Southwest Washington, Thurston County reported a 5.4% unemployment rate in January, Skamania County saw a rate of 6.5%, Pierce County reported a 6% rate and Cowlitz County saw a 6.4% rate. Counties on Southwest Washington’s coast saw higher unemployment rates in January, with Grays Harbor County at 8.3%, Pacific County at 8% and Wahkiakum County at 8.5%.
