Whatcom County’s unemployment rate drops after five months of increases; state rate jumps

Whatcom County’s unemployment rate dropped in March, ending five months of consecutive growth as Washington’s unemployment rate increased.

Whatcom County unemployment

Whatcom County had a 5.4% unemployment rate in March, with 6,211 unemployed people in the county, a decrease of 1,222 unemployed people compared to February.

In February, Whatcom County’s unemployment rate was 6.5% with 7,433 residents receiving unemployment benefits, and was the fifth consecutive month of unemployment increases.

Whatcom County’s unemployment rate increased compared to last year, as March 2023’s unemployment rate was 4.8%, 0.6% less than March 2024.

Whatcom County’s unemployment rate hit an extreme high of 17.4% in April 2020, and since then has fluctuated.

Ferry County had the highest unemployment rate in February at 11.9%, and King County and Snohomish County had the lowest rate of 4.1%.

Bellingham’s unemployment rate was 5.3% in March with 2,578 people unemployed, an increase from February’s 6.3% unemployment rate with 3,062 people unemployed.

Washington state unemployment rates

The Washington State Employment Security Department’s March 2024 monthly employment report found that the state’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased from February’s 4.7% unemployment rate to 4.8% in March.

In March, 193,580 people in the state were unemployed, 3,510 more than in February, according to the report.

Washington state’s unemployment rate also increased compared to last year. In March 2023, 180,382 people in the state were unemployed, 13,198 less than this March.

All data comes from the Washington State Employment Security Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.