Department of Numbers

Bellingham, Washington Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Bellingham fell 0.2 percentage points in March 2012 to 7.4%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.9 percentage points lower than the Washington rate. The unemployment rate in Bellingham peaked in November 2009 at 9.3% and is now 1.9 percentage points lower. You can also compare Bellingham unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate March 2012 Month/Month Year/Year
National 8.2% -0.1 -0.7
Washington 8.3% 0.0 -1.1
Bellingham 7.4% -0.2 -1.0
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with March 2012 data as April metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Bellingham, Washington, National

Bellingham, Washington monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Bellingham, Washington Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Bellingham peaked in November 2009 at 9,908. There are now 2,005 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Bellingham employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Bellingham, Washington) is also available.

Unemployed Persons March 2012 Month/Month Year/Year
Bellingham 7,903 -126 -873

Number of Unemployed Persons

Bellingham, Washington Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Washington
Unemployment Rate
Bellingham
Unemployment Rate
Bellingham
Unemployed
April
2012
8.1% 8.1%
March
2012
8.2% 8.3% 7.4% 7,903
February
2012
8.3% 8.3% 7.6% 8,029
January
2012
8.3% 8.4% 7.9% 8,273
December
2011
8.5% 8.6% 8.3% 8,585
November
2011
8.7% 8.7% 8.3% 8,616
October
2011
8.9% 8.9% 8.5% 8,828
September
2011
9.0% 9.0% 8.4% 8,735
August
2011
9.1% 9.2% 8.4% 8,698
July
2011
9.1% 9.3% 8.3% 8,614
June
2011
9.1% 9.3% 8.3% 8,588
May
2011
9.0% 9.3% 8.2% 8,522
April
2011
9.0% 9.3% 8.3% 8,613

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.