Thurston County unemployment rate inches up in November

 A decrease in the number of employed people, coupled with a similar decline in the labor force, had little impact on the jobless rate in the region last month.

The unemployment rate for the Olympia-Tumwater Metropolitan Statistical Area (Thurston County) inched up to 4.5 percent in November from 4.4 in November 2023, according to monthly data from the Washington Employment Security Department, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and local area unemployment statistics.

The November data is preliminary and subject to revision, while the November 2023 data has been revised.

The data also showed the labor force contracted to 146,954 in November from 152,544 in November 2023. That marked a decrease of 3.66 percent in the period.

At the same time, the number of employed people fell 3.73 percent to 140,392 from 145,832. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed people eased to 6,562 in November from 6,712 in November 2023.

The unemployment rate in the Olympia-Tumwater Metropolitan Statistical Area was among the 15 lowest in the state, the monthly data showed.

Asotin County, which is located in the southeast portion of the state, posted the lowest jobless rate at 3.2 percent in November. Ferry County, whose labor force stood at 2,204 last month, recorded the highest unemployment rate at 8.3 percent.

Statewide, the jobless rate measured 4.6 percent in November, compared with 4.0 percent in November 2023.