Department of Numbers

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Seattle rose 0.1 percentage points in September 2023 to 3.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.1 percentage points lower than the Washington rate. The unemployment rate in Seattle peaked in April 2020 at 17.1% and is now 13.6 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.2% in January 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Seattle unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.8% 0.0 +0.3
Washington 3.6% 0.0 -0.8
Seattle 3.5% +0.1 -0.1
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with September 2023 data as October 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 376,097. There are now 296,297 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 69,943 in February 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 9,857. Seattle employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Seattle, Washington) is also available.

Unemployed Persons September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Seattle 79,800 +1,536 -626

Number of Unemployed Persons

Seattle, Washington Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Washington
Unemployment Rate
Seattle
Unemployment Rate
Seattle
Unemployed
October
2023
3.9% 3.8%
September
2023
3.8% 3.6% 3.5% 79,800
August
2023
3.8% 3.6% 3.4% 78,264
July
2023
3.5% 3.6% 3.3% 75,684
June
2023
3.6% 3.8% 3.3% 75,094
May
2023
3.7% 4.1% 3.3% 75,600
April
2023
3.4% 4.3% 3.4% 76,125
March
2023
3.5% 4.5% 3.4% 76,955
February
2023
3.6% 4.6% 3.5% 79,050
January
2023
3.4% 4.6% 3.6% 81,171
December
2022
3.5% 4.5% 3.6% 80,589
November
2022
3.6% 4.6% 3.6% 80,965

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.