Department of Numbers

Bellingham, Washington Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Bellingham fell 0.4 percentage points in May 2023 to 4.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.4 percentage points higher than the Washington rate. The unemployment rate in Bellingham peaked in April 2020 at 18.1% and is now 13.6 percentage points lower. You can also compare Bellingham unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate May 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% +0.3 +0.1
Washington 4.1% -0.2 +0.2
Bellingham 4.5% -0.4 -0.2
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with May 2023 data as June 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 April 2020 at 21,964. There are now 16,677 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 5,221 in February 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 66. Bellingham employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Bellingham, Washington) is also available.

Unemployed Persons May 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Bellingham 5,287 -410 -100

Number of Unemployed Persons

Bellingham, Washington Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Washington
Unemployment Rate
Bellingham
Unemployment Rate
Bellingham
Unemployed
June
2023
3.6%
May
2023
3.7% 4.1% 4.5% 5,287
April
2023
3.4% 4.3% 4.9% 5,697
March
2023
3.5% 4.5% 5.1% 5,954
February
2023
3.6% 4.6% 5.2% 6,107
January
2023
3.4% 4.6% 5.2% 6,013
December
2022
3.5% 4.5% 5.2% 5,993
November
2022
3.6% 4.6% 5.2% 6,008
October
2022
3.7% 4.6% 5.2% 5,990
September
2022
3.5% 4.4% 5.1% 5,874
August
2022
3.7% 4.3% 5.0% 5,728
July
2022
3.5% 4.1% 4.9% 5,585

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.