The Spokane labor market continued to run hot with a reported 3.3% unemployment rate in July. The local unemployment rate has now been near historic lows for three months in a row. An estimated 8,633 people were considered unemployed and looking for work in Spokane, however only 2,529 were actively collecting unemployment insurance during the month.
At the same time an estimated 7,549 new unique online job postings were observed in July. Demand for workers is down from this same time last year, but there are approximately three open jobs for every one person actively collecting unemployment insurance currently.
The top ten industries with the most unique job postings in July were:
- Healthcare (1,162 job postings)
- Retail (738)
- Administrative Support (718)
- Education (499)
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (397)
- Manufacturing (380)
- Accommodation and Food Services (260)
- Wholesale Trade (260)
- Finance and Insurance (223)
- Construction (194)
With strong demand for workers, Spokane has seen an increase in advertised wages. The median advertised wage in local job postings was $23.45/hr in July, up 10.4% from this same time last year.
