Unemployment in Lewis County dipped by 1.1% in May, according to the state Employment Security Department’s (ESD) most recent report.
Lewis County now sits at 5.9%, not seasonally adjusted, after hovering around 7% since early this year. That’s higher than the state average of 5.3%. The last non-pandemic month of May — back in 2019 — showed a similar level of unemployment in Lewis County, at 5.6%.
Currently, Lewis County is faring better than most of its neighbors. Thurston County sits at 4.9% and Pierce County 5.8%. But Grays Harbor is at 7.6%, Pacific at 7.7%, Wahkiakum at 6.4%, Cowlitz at 6%, Skamania at 5.9% and Yakima at 6.6%.
Seasonally adjusted, the state’s unemployment rate of 5.3% falls below the nationwide rate of 5.8%
Jobs in May were up by 8,300 — smaller gains than in the last four months. The biggest swells in employment were made in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services and government, while the biggest losses were in construction, retail trade and manufacturing.
