Lewis County’s unemployment rate fell in July, decreasing 0.9% from June’s 5.6% rate to 4.7%, according to new data released by the Washington state Employment Security Department.
The fall in the unemployment rate was driven by a decline in the number of unemployed individuals in Lewis County, accompanied by an increase in the number of employed people.
The number of employed individuals increased by 440, from 33,203 people in June to 33,643 in July, an increase of about 1.3%.
At the same time, the number of unemployed individuals decreased from 1,965 in June to 1,650 people, a decrease of about 16%. Overall, the labor force in Lewis County increased by 125 individuals, an increase of about 0.4%.
Elsewhere, Thurston County’s unemployment rate decreased by 0.8%, falling from 4.5% to 3.7%. In Grays Harbor County, unemployment rates fell by 1.2%, decreasing from 6.8% to 5.6%. Pacific, Wahkiakum and Cowlitz counties all saw their unemployment rates decline by 0.8%, falling from 6.7% to 5.9%, 6.4% to 5.6% and 5.4% to 4.6%, respectively.
