Department of Numbers

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Seattle rose 0.1 percentage points in January 2023 to 3.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.1 percentage points lower than the Washington rate. The unemployment rate in Seattle peaked in April 2020 at 17.3% and is now 13.8 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.1% in June 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.4 percentage points. You can also compare Seattle unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
Washington 4.6% +0.1 +0.6
Seattle 3.5% +0.1 -0.4
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with January 2023 data as February 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 April 2020 at 379,960. There are now 303,064 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 68,622 in July 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 8,274. Seattle employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Seattle, Washington) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Seattle 76,896 +2,039 -8,513

Number of Unemployed Persons

Seattle, Washington Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Washington
Unemployment Rate
Seattle
Unemployment Rate
Seattle
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 4.6% 3.5% 76,896
December
2022
3.5% 4.5% 3.4% 74,857
November
2022
3.6% 4.6% 3.3% 73,411
October
2022
3.7% 4.6% 3.2% 71,545
September
2022
3.5% 4.4% 3.2% 70,386
August
2022
3.7% 4.3% 3.1% 69,810
July
2022
3.5% 4.1% 3.1% 68,622
June
2022
3.6% 3.9% 3.1% 70,197
May
2022
3.6% 3.9% 3.2% 71,885
April
2022
3.6% 3.9% 3.4% 75,284
March
2022
3.6% 3.9% 3.6% 78,844

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.