Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Seattle fell 0.3 percentage points in February 2018 to 4.1%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.6 percentage points lower than the Washington rate. The unemployment rate in Seattle peaked in December 2009 at 10.0% and is now 5.9 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.5% in March 2017, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.6 percentage points. You can also compare Seattle unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	February 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	4.1%	0.0	-0.6
Washington	4.7%	0.0	-0.1
Seattle	4.1%	-0.3	+0.4

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with February 2018 data as March 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 February 2010 at 190,427. There are now 103,474 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 72,360 in March 2017, the number of unemployed has now grown by 14,593. Seattle employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Seattle, Washington) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	February 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Seattle	86,953	-5,039	+10,194

Number of Unemployed Persons

Seattle, Washington Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Washington Unemployment Rate	Seattle Unemployment Rate	Seattle Unemployed
March 2018	4.1%	—	—	—
February 2018	4.1%	4.7%	4.1%	86,953
January 2018	4.1%	4.7%	4.4%	91,992
December 2017	4.1%	4.7%	4.2%	88,273
November 2017	4.1%	4.7%	4.1%	84,847
October 2017	4.1%	4.7%	4.1%	85,446
September 2017	4.2%	4.7%	4.2%	87,757
August 2017	4.4%	4.8%	4.1%	84,931
July 2017	4.3%	4.8%	3.8%	77,823
June 2017	4.3%	4.8%	3.8%	77,416
May 2017	4.3%	4.8%	3.7%	76,782
April 2017	4.4%	4.8%	3.7%	76,067