Washington Unemployment Rate Increased to 5.1% in February 2026

Washington unemployment rate increased for fourth straight month to 5.1% in February

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April 15, 2026

OLYMPIA – Washington’s economy added an estimated 700 jobs (seasonally adjusted) in February 2026, and the unemployment rate rose to 5.1%, marking the fourth consecutive monthly increase. This month’s employment report covers two datasets: one documenting shifts in the number of jobs, and another covering shifts in the labor force (e.g., unemployment rate).

The state’s unemployment rate stood at 4.6% in November 2025, jumped to 4.9% in December and increased slightly to 5.0% in January 2026.

“Employment growth stalled throughout 2025. Despite three consecutive months of growth, employment remains only 0.4% above the level observed last February,” said Anneliese Vance-Sherman, chief labor economist for the Employment Security Department. “The unemployment rate ticked up a notch from 5.0% to 5.1% in February. The unemployment rate has been increasing steadily throughout 2025 and into 2026, signaling a possible shift in the labor force.”

Vance-Sherman added, “By the end of April, we’ll have a more complete employment picture through the first quarter of 2026. We’ll release the March employment report on April 29.”

From February 2025 to February 2026, the number of jobs in Washington increased by 14,300 jobs – a 0.4% increase. See the total jobs chart in this news release for detailed information.

In February, private sector jobs collectively increased by 400, while the public sector increased by an estimated 300 jobs. The largest one-month sector-level gains in private industry occurred in professional and business services (up 4,100), manufacturing (up 2,500), and leisure and hospitality (up 800).

Employment Security paid unemployment benefits to 77,405 people in February, a decrease of 8,129 from the previous month. Decreases in unemployment claims primarily came from manufacturing, construction and agriculture.

Learn more about Employment Security's monthly employment reports

Every month, the Employment Security Department publishes preliminary seasonally adjusted estimates for the previous month’s job changes and unemployment. The agency also publishes confirmed data for the month before last.

Go to the Employment Security website to find:

• The entire monthly employment report and publication schedule.
• More labor market information and tools.

National unemployment rate

The national unemployment rate increased from 4.3% to 4.4% from January 2026 to February 2026. For comparison, the national unemployment rate (revised) for February 2025 was 4.2%.

Labor force

From January 2026 to February 2026, the number of people who were unemployed statewide increased from 204,364 to 208,148. In the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett region, the number of people who were unemployed increased from 120,937 to 125,637 during the same time.

The state’s labor force in February was 4,066,446 – an increase of 21,147 people from the previous February. In the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett region, the labor force decreased by 4,120 people during the same period.

Labor force is defined as the number of employed and unemployed people over the age of 16. Layoffs and labor force participation are not necessarily connected. When people are laid off but still seeking work, they remain a part of the labor force. A drop in the labor force means people have left work and haven't been seeking employment for more than four weeks.

Seven major industry sectors expanded, six contracted over the year

Private sector employment increased by 20,900 jobs from February 2025 to February 2026. Government employment decreased by 6,600 during the same time.

The largest sector-level gains in private industry were in education and health services (up 9,900 jobs), professional and business services (up 8,200), and transportation, warehousing and utilities (up 7,500).

• Education and health services employment gains were primarily due to hiring in health and social services (up 11,700). Within that sector, ambulatory health care services added the most jobs (6,100).
• The deepest one-year sector losses were observed in retail trade (down 4,600), manufacturing (down 3,100), and financial activities (down 2,500).
• Losses in retail trade were most pronounced in motor vehicle and parts dealers (down 2,100).

Table 1: Washington's total jobs (12-month overview)

*Revised from previous preliminary estimates. Preliminary monthly estimates for job losses or gains are based on a Bureau of Labor Statistics payroll survey. Actual figures reported the following month are based on a more complete survey.

Table 2: February job gains and losses by industry

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