Whatcom County’s unemployment rate increases, ending a streak of post-pandemic drops

Alyse Smith
·1 min read

Washington state’s unemployment rate decreased in June, although Whatcom County’s rate had a slight increase with more people unemployed than in May.

Whatcom County unemployment

Whatcom County had a 3.1% unemployment rate in June with 3,625 unemployed people in the county, a slight increase compared to May.

In May, Whatcom County’s unemployment rate was 3.1%, with 3,602 residents receiving unemployment benefits.

In June 2022, Whatcom County’s unemployment rate was 4.8%, with 5,509 residents receiving unemployment, 1,884 more residents unemployed compared to June 2023.

Whatcom County’s unemployment rate has decreased since April 2020, when it hit an extreme high of 17.4%.

Since 2020, the county’s unemployment rate had both slight increases and decreases until dropping to a low of 3% in May 2023.

Washington state unemployment rates

The Washington State Employment Security Department’s June 2023 monthly employment report showed a decrease in Washington’s unemployment numbers, dropping from a 4.1% unemployment rate in May to 3.8% in June.

In June, 154,500 people in the state were unemployed, 10,500 less than May 2023, according to the report.

In June 2022, 155,078 people in the state were unemployed, 578 more than June 2023.

All data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor and Bureau of Labor Statistics.