SPOKANE, Wash. – Spokane County’s unemployment rate hit 3.7% last month, the lowest September unemployment rate across the county since 1997.
The non-seasonally adjusted Washington Employment Security Department data shows that Washington state gained 2,000 jobs overall, maintaining the statewide unemployment rate of 4.8%, which trends higher in rural counties and lower in metropolitan areas.
Spokane County’s last 3.7% unemployment rate was in 1997 in the midst of the dot-com bubble and a generally strong national economy. September’s unemployment numbers coincide with a national inflation rate which has lowered from a Sept. 2022 peak.
The lowered unemployment numbers signal a strong labor market in Spokane County, providing a boost to people looking for work in Spokane.
