- Unemployment Rate: Held steady at 4.5 % in June (same as May/June 2024) – but above the U.S. rate of 4.1 %
- Job Gains: According to Washington’s Employment Security Department, (WSESD) Washington added an estimated 10,900 jobs in June. Sectors with notable growth were…
- Leisure & hospitality: +7,400 jobs
- Information: +1,900 jobs
- Construction: +1,000 jobs
- Washington saw a modest increase of 1,900 jobs in the past 12 months (a .05% growth rate) with the private sector adding 6,100 jobs which unfortunately was offset by a downtick (4200 jobs) in the public sector.
U S Labor Market (June 2025)
- Payroll Growth: Nonfarm payrolls rose by +147,000 in June—matching the 12‑month average
- Unemployment Rate: Improved slightly to 4.1 %, down from 4.2 % in May
- Wages & Hours: Average hourly earnings grew by 0.2 % (3.7 % year-over-year). The average workweek dipped to 34.2 hours
- Labor Participation: Labor-force participation was 62.3 % – still hovering around the bottom end of the participation curve.
- Open Jobs: Approximately 7.8 million job openings were reported as “open” at the end of June
Quick Comparison: WA vs. U.S. June 2025
| Metric | Washington | U.S. |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5 % | 4.1 % |
| Monthly Job Gain | +10,900 | +147,000 |
| Annual Job Change | +1,900 (0.05 %) | 1.76 million (approx.) |
The Prevailing Narrative. What are we learning from the data?
- Washington is showing signs of modest recovery, but a higher unemployment rate and weak annual growth suggest the state is feeling the impact of broader economic headwinds—especially in the public sector. New tax increases will likely not help job creation from the small business sector.
- Nationally, the labor market continues to remains resilient, with what is considered “steady” job gains and stable if not slightly improved wages.
What’s Next
- Washington’s July report is expected un mid‑August. Watch for continued private-sector growth and signs that the public sector have stabilized.
- U.S. July data is due August 1 which could be a pivotal read for the Federal Reserves meeting in August to address interest rates. If they are lowered, economists are expecting an increase in jobs across all private sectors.
