Department of Numbers

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Seattle fell 0.4 percentage points in April 2013 to 5.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.2 percentage points lower than the Washington rate. The unemployment rate in Seattle peaked in December 2009 at 9.9% and is now 4.1 percentage points lower. You can also compare Seattle unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate April 2013 Month/Month Year/Year
National 7.5% -0.1 -0.6
Washington 7.0% -0.3 -1.4
Seattle 5.8% -0.4 -1.9
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with April 2013 data as May metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Seattle, Washington, National

Seattle, Washington monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Seattle, Washington Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Seattle peaked in January 2010 at 186,502. There are now 75,525 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Seattle employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Seattle, Washington) is also available.

Unemployed Persons April 2013 Month/Month Year/Year
Seattle 110,977 -5,858 -34,214

Number of Unemployed Persons

Seattle, Washington Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Washington
Unemployment Rate
Seattle
Unemployment Rate
Seattle
Unemployed
May
2013
7.6%
April
2013
7.5% 7.0% 5.8% 110,977
March
2013
7.6% 7.3% 6.2% 116,835
February
2013
7.7% 7.5% 6.5% 122,177
January
2013
7.9% 7.5% 6.7% 126,580
December
2012
7.8% 7.5% 6.8% 127,998
November
2012
7.8% 7.6% 6.9% 130,482
October
2012
7.9% 7.8% 7.1% 133,465
September
2012
7.8% 8.0% 7.2% 136,786
August
2012
8.1% 8.2% 7.4% 140,019
July
2012
8.2% 8.3% 7.5% 142,581
June
2012
8.2% 8.4% 7.6% 144,142
May
2012
8.2% 8.4% 7.7% 144,840

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.