Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Seattle fell 0.3 percentage points in December 2011 to 8.1%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.4 percentage points lower than the Washington rate. The unemployment rate in Seattle peaked in September 2009 at 9.6% and is now 1.5 percentage points lower. You can also compare Seattle unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	8.5%	-0.2	-0.9
Washington	8.5%	-0.2	-0.8
Seattle	8.1%	-0.3	-1.1

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with December 2011 data as January metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Seattle, Washington, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Seattle, Washington Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Seattle peaked in September 2009 at 182,218. There are now 29,468 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Seattle employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Seattle, Washington) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
Seattle	152,750	-6,359	-20,773

Number of Unemployed Persons

Seattle, Washington Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Washington Unemployment Rate	Seattle Unemployment Rate	Seattle Unemployed
January 2012	8.3%	—	—	—
December 2011	8.5%	8.5%	8.1%	152,750
November 2011	8.7%	8.7%	8.4%	159,109
October 2011	8.9%	9.1%	8.8%	165,575
September 2011	9.0%	9.2%	9.0%	168,268
August 2011	9.1%	9.3%	9.1%	169,946
July 2011	9.1%	9.3%	9.1%	169,363
June 2011	9.1%	9.3%	8.9%	166,089
May 2011	9.0%	9.1%	8.8%	163,960
April 2011	9.0%	9.2%	8.9%	165,395
March 2011	8.9%	9.2%	8.7%	163,991
February 2011	9.0%	9.1%	8.8%	165,034
January 2011	9.1%	9.2%	9.0%	169,090