The Washington state Employment Security Department (ESD) recently released the unemployment rates for January 2026, showing that unemployment slightly decreased in both Lewis and Thurston counties in January, but rose overall across the state, according to an ESD news release.
Specifically, Lewis County’s unemployment rate went from 6.6% in December 2025 to 6.4% in January, while Thurston County saw its unemployment rate fall from 5.1% to 4.9%.
In Skamania County, the unemployment rate rose from 5.1% to 5.4%, and other counties saw rate changes including: a decrease in Cowlitz County from 6.2% to 6%; an increase in Pierce County from 5.5% to 6.4%; a decrease in Grays Harbor County from 6.9% to 6.4%; a decrease in Pacific County from 7.5% to 6.9%; a decrease in Wahkiakum County from 7.9% to 7.3% and in Clark County, the rate remained at 5% from December going into January.
Across Washington state, however, the unemployment rate rose from 4.7% in December to a flat 5% to begin the new year in January.
“Washington employers kicked off 2026 by adding 2,800 jobs following a year of relatively non-existent growth,” ESD Chief Labor Economist Anneliese Vance-Sherman said in an April 1 news release. “The unemployment rate ticked up a notch from 4.9% to 5.0% in January. While 5% is still relatively low, it hasn’t been this high since 2021 and continues a rising trend throughout 2025. The unemployment rate in January 2025 was 4.4%. By the end of April, we’ll have a more complete employment picture through the first quarter of 2026. We’ll be releasing February and March employment reports later this month.”
It was estimated private sector jobs rose by 8,200, while public sector jobs were reduced by an estimated 5,400 jobs. The industries which saw the largest increase in jobs were construction, leisure and hospitality and private education and health services.
Nationally, the unemployment rate has fluctuated from 4.4% in December to 4.3% in January, then back to 4.4% in February and back down to 4.3% in March, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For more information, view the ESD’s monthly employment reports on its website at https://tinyurl.com/2sj6tnzz.
