Washington added 6,100 jobs last month, causing the state’s unemployment rate to fall from 5.1 to 4.9 percent – its lowest mark since March 2008, according to the Employment Security Department.
In its monthly jobs report, the department showed private-sector employment increased by 4,100 and government employment increased by 2,000 jobs in February.
The greatest private-sector job growth occurred in construction (+2,000 jobs). Professional and business services as well as leisure and hospitality also saw robust gains of 1,300 and 1,100 jobs, respectively.
Manufacturing faced the biggest reduction in February, losing 900 jobs.
“Washington’s economy is moving forward with sustained momentum despite cutbacks in aerospace,” said Paul Turek, economist for the department, in a press release. “The tech market is propelling western Washington, real estate is strong across the state and other economic segments are maintaining.
“Washington’s labor market is at or near full employment,” he added. “It’s creating pressure to increase wages for some businesses.”
Year-over-year review
Figures from the Employment Security Department show Washington state added an estimated 85,100 new jobs between February 2016 and February 2017, not seasonally adjusted. During that period, the private sector grew by 2.8 percent and the public sector increased by 2.1 percent.
Over the last year, 12 of the state’s 13 industry sectors added jobs.
The three industry sectors with the largest employment gains year-over-year, not seasonally adjusted, were:
- Education and health services with 15,700 new jobs;
- Retail trade with 15,700 new jobs; and
- Government with 12,000 new jobs.
Manufacturing (-7,100) was the only sectors to report job losses.
