OLYMPIA – County unemployment rates and employment data for August 2026 are now available on the Employment Security Department website. Visit the labor force page to view historic and current data on the unemployment rate.
This month we spotlight the Benton-Franklin region.
Ajsa Suljic, regional labor economist for the south central/southeast region of Washington, said, “The Kennewick-Richland area saw modest labor force growth in August, with employment rising by 1.0% from July. However, the unemployment rate increased to 4.5%, reflecting a seasonal uptick in job seekers.”
Suljic added, “Nonfarm employment dipped slightly compared to last year, driven by declines in manufacturing and professional and business services, while health care and leisure sectors continued to expand. Overall, the region’s labor market remains stable, showing resilience amid shifting industry trends.”
In case you missed it, find August’s monthly employment report news release on Employment Security’s website.
To learn more about monthly job gains and losses from payroll data, check out the employment estimates on the Employment Security Website.
Please keep in mind:
Unemployment rates and employment estimates at the county level are not seasonally adjusted because the sample size is too small for some counties to accommodate the additional analysis. Therefore, they should not be compared directly to the seasonally adjusted statewide rate published in the latest Monthly Employment Report.
Employment Security has labor market information and tools to showcase popular information and data.
Learn more about unemployment and the economy for each county by viewing the county profiles. The information in the county profiles is updated within three days of the release of the county unemployment numbers.