The Thurston County unemployment rate inched up to 6.3 percent in November from a revised figure of 5.5 percent in October, said Jim Vleming, a regional economist with the state Employment Security Department.
Despite the slight rise in the jobless rate, the county still added 1,000 jobs over the month, with professional and business services showing the biggest gain, he said.
However, a year ago the jobless rate was 4.4 percent, and over the year the county is still down 3,900 jobs, largely due to COVID-19, Vleming said.
The leisure and hospitality sector has been hit hard by pandemic-related shutdowns and restrictions.
Seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment was 6 percent in November and 6.7 percent nationally for the same month.
