Lewis and Thurston county unemployment rates fall in September

The Washington state Employment Security Department (ESD) recently released the unemployment rates for September 2026, showing that unemployment decreased in both Lewis and Thurston counties from August.

Specifically, Lewis County’s unemployment rate fell from 5.6% in August to 4.3% in September, while Thurston County saw its unemployment similarly fall from 4.3% to 3.4%.

All local counties saw a decrease in unemployment from August to September.

In Skamania County, the unemployment rate fell from 4.1% to 3.6%; Grays Harbor County decreased from to 5.4% to 4.3%; Pacific County fell from 6.1% to 4.6%; Wahkiakum County fell from 6.5% to 5.6%; in Clark County, the rate decreased from 4.8% to 3.6%; and Cowlitz County fell from 5.2% in August to 4.0% in September.

Across Washington state, the unemployment rate decreased from 4.9% in August to 4.8% in September. For more information, view the ESD’s monthly employment reports on its website at https://tinyurl.com/2sj6tnzz.