Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate / Cities in Washington

Cities in Washington by unemployment rate

Moses Lake, WA had the highest unemployment rate of 47 cities in December 2025, at 7.8%. Bainbridge Island, WA had the lowest, at 4.2%. The median was 5% and the figure for Washington was 4.9%. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest7.8Moses Lake, WA
Lowest4.2Bainbridge Island, WA
Median547 cities
Washington4.9History

All cities, December 2025

Moses Lake, WA: 7.8 %Moses Lake, WA7.8Yakima, WA: 6.5 %Yakima, WA6.5Pasco, WA: 6.4 %Pasco, WA6.4Longview, WA: 6.2 %Longview, WA6.2Des Moines, WA: 5.9 %Des Moines, WA5.9SeaTac, WA: 5.9 %SeaTac, WA5.9Federal Way, WA: 5.7 %Federal Way, WA5.7Lakewood, WA: 5.7 %Lakewood, WA5.7Wenatchee, WA: 5.7 %Wenatchee, WA5.7Kennewick, WA: 5.5 %Kennewick, WA5.5Auburn, WA: 5.4 %Auburn, WA5.4Burien, WA: 5.4 %Burien, WA5.4Kent, WA: 5.4 %Kent, WA5.4Mount Vernon, WA: 5.4 %Mount Vernon, WA5.4Everett, WA: 5.3 %Everett, WA5.3Marysville, WA: 5.3 %Marysville, WA5.3Tacoma, WA: 5.3 %Tacoma, WA5.3Vancouver, WA: 5.3 %Vancouver, WA5.3Lacey, WA: 5.2 %Lacey, WA5.2Lake Stevens, WA: 5.2 %Lake Stevens, WA5.2Lynnwood, WA: 5.2 %Lynnwood, WA5.2Richland, WA: 5.2 %Richland, WA5.2Puyallup, WA: 5 %Puyallup, WA5Renton, WA: 5 %Renton, WA5Spokane, WA: 5 %Spokane, WA5Bothell, WA: 4.9 %Bothell, WA4.9Bremerton, WA: 4.9 %Bremerton, WA4.9Camas, WA: 4.9 %Camas, WA4.9Kirkland, WA: 4.9 %Kirkland, WA4.9Spokane Valley, WA: 4.9 %Spokane Valley, WA4.9Walla Walla, WA: 4.9 %Walla Walla, WA4.9Bellingham, WA: 4.8 %Bellingham, WA4.8Maple Valley, WA: 4.8 %Maple Valley, WA4.8Sammamish, WA: 4.8 %Sammamish, WA4.8Shoreline, WA: 4.8 %Shoreline, WA4.8University Place, WA: 4.8 %University Place, WA4.8Mountlake Terrace, WA: 4.7 %Mountlake Terrace, WA4.7Olympia, WA: 4.7 %Olympia, WA4.7Mercer Island, WA: 4.6 %Mercer Island, WA4.6Bellevue, WA: 4.5 %Bellevue, WA4.5Issaquah, WA: 4.5 %Issaquah, WA4.5Seattle, WA: 4.5 %Seattle, WA4.5Tumwater, WA: 4.5 %Tumwater, WA4.5Edmonds, WA: 4.4 %Edmonds, WA4.4Pullman, WA: 4.4 %Pullman, WA4.4Redmond, WA: 4.3 %Redmond, WA4.3Bainbridge Island, WA: 4.2 %Bainbridge Island, WA4.2Moses Lake, WA: 7.8 %Moses Lake, WA7.8Yakima, WA: 6.5 %Yakima, WA6.5Pasco, WA: 6.4 %Pasco, WA6.4Longview, WA: 6.2 %Longview, WA6.2Des Moines, WA: 5.9 %Des Moines, WA5.9SeaTac, WA: 5.9 %SeaTac, WA5.9Federal Way, WA: 5.7 %Federal Way, WA5.7Lakewood, WA: 5.7 %Lakewood, WA5.7Wenatchee, WA: 5.7 %Wenatchee, WA5.7Kennewick, WA: 5.5 %Kennewick, WA5.5Auburn, WA: 5.4 %Auburn, WA5.4Burien, WA: 5.4 %Burien, WA5.4Kent, WA: 5.4 %Kent, WA5.4Mount Vernon, WA: 5.4 %Mount Vernon, WA5.4Everett, WA: 5.3 %Everett, WA5.3Marysville, WA: 5.3 %Marysville, WA5.3Tacoma, WA: 5.3 %Tacoma, WA5.3Vancouver, WA: 5.3 %Vancouver, WA5.3Lacey, WA: 5.2 %Lacey, WA5.2Lake Stevens, WA: 5.2 %Lake Stevens, WA5.2Lynnwood, WA: 5.2 %Lynnwood, WA5.2Richland, WA: 5.2 %Richland, WA5.2Puyallup, WA: 5 %Puyallup, WA5Renton, WA: 5 %Renton, WA5Spokane, WA: 5 %Spokane, WA5Bothell, WA: 4.9 %Bothell, WA4.9Bremerton, WA: 4.9 %Bremerton, WA4.9Camas, WA: 4.9 %Camas, WA4.9Kirkland, WA: 4.9 %Kirkland, WA4.9Spokane Valley, WA: 4.9 %Spokane Valley, WA4.9Walla Walla, WA: 4.9 %Walla Walla, WA4.9Bellingham, WA: 4.8 %Bellingham, WA4.8Maple Valley, WA: 4.8 %Maple Valley, WA4.8Sammamish, WA: 4.8 %Sammamish, WA4.8Shoreline, WA: 4.8 %Shoreline, WA4.8University Place, WA: 4.8 %University Place, WA4.8Mountlake Terrace, WA: 4.7 %Mountlake Terrace, WA4.7Olympia, WA: 4.7 %Olympia, WA4.7Mercer Island, WA: 4.6 %Mercer Island, WA4.6Bellevue, WA: 4.5 %Bellevue, WA4.5Issaquah, WA: 4.5 %Issaquah, WA4.5Seattle, WA: 4.5 %Seattle, WA4.5Tumwater, WA: 4.5 %Tumwater, WA4.5Edmonds, WA: 4.4 %Edmonds, WA4.4Pullman, WA: 4.4 %Pullman, WA4.4Redmond, WA: 4.3 %Redmond, WA4.3Bainbridge Island, WA: 4.2 %Bainbridge Island, WA4.2
%. Source: BLS, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCitiesDecember 2025 (%)Change on December 2024
1Moses Lake, WA7.8+1.3 pts
2Yakima, WA6.5+0.1 pts
3Pasco, WA6.4+0.5 pts
4Longview, WA6.2+1 pts
5Des Moines, WA5.9+1.4 pts
5SeaTac, WA5.9+1.4 pts
7Federal Way, WA5.7+1.3 pts
7Lakewood, WA5.7+1.4 pts
7Wenatchee, WA5.7+0.4 pts
10Kennewick, WA5.5+0.3 pts
11Auburn, WA5.4+1.1 pts
11Burien, WA5.4+1 pts
11Kent, WA5.4+1.3 pts
11Mount Vernon, WA5.4+0.3 pts
15Everett, WA5.3+1.1 pts
15Marysville, WA5.3+1.4 pts
15Tacoma, WA5.3+1.3 pts
15Vancouver, WA5.3+0.9 pts
19Lacey, WA5.2+0.5 pts
19Lake Stevens, WA5.2+1.2 pts
19Lynnwood, WA5.2+1.5 pts
19Richland, WA5.2+0.8 pts
23Puyallup, WA5+1.2 pts
23Renton, WA5+1.2 pts
23Spokane, WA5+0.5 pts
26Bothell, WA4.9+1.3 pts
26Bremerton, WA4.9+0.4 pts
26Camas, WA4.9+0.4 pts
26Kirkland, WA4.9+1.5 pts
26Spokane Valley, WA4.9+0.3 pts
26Walla Walla, WA4.9+0.7 pts
32Bellingham, WA4.8+0.7 pts
32Maple Valley, WA4.8+1.3 pts
32Sammamish, WA4.8+1.5 pts
32Shoreline, WA4.8+1.1 pts
32University Place, WA4.8+1.4 pts
37Mountlake Terrace, WA4.7+1.1 pts
37Olympia, WA4.7+0.5 pts
39Mercer Island, WA4.6+1.1 pts
40Bellevue, WA4.5+1.3 pts
40Issaquah, WA4.5+1.2 pts
40Seattle, WA4.5+1.2 pts
40Tumwater, WA4.5+0.6 pts
44Edmonds, WA4.4+0.8 pts
44Pullman, WA4.4+0.9 pts
46Redmond, WA4.3+1.3 pts
47Bainbridge Island, WA4.2+0.6 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed people as a percentage of the labour force, using the survey definition of unemployment: without work, available and looking for work.

More on how it is measured
  • Spain: EPA, aged 16 and over.
  • EU: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74.
  • United States: civilian labour force aged 16 and over, from the Current Population Survey for the nation and from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics models, consistent with that survey, for states, counties and cities.
  • United Kingdom regions: Labour Force Survey, aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted.
  • Canada: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted, for the country and the provinces.
  • Australia: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted, for the nation and the six states; the ABS publishes no seasonally adjusted series for the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.
  • New Zealand: Household Labour Force Survey, aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted for the country and not seasonally adjusted for regional council areas.
  • Norway: Statistics Norway Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74, seasonally adjusted monthly figures.
  • Sweden: Labour Force Survey, aged 15 to 74, seasonally adjusted and smoothed (the series Statistics Sweden gives in its monthly release), national.
  • Switzerland: Swiss Labour Force Survey (SLFS), ILO definition, permanent resident population aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted quarterly averages, national.
  • For other countries, the source may be OECD survey-based rates, annual survey-based rates compiled by the ILO in ILOSTAT, or annual ILO modelled estimates published by the World Bank.
  • ILO modelled estimates cover ages 15 and over.
  • The World series uses those ILO modelled estimates.

Survey-based for national and Eurostat series. Available for Spain, regions, provinces, EU countries, US states, US counties, US cities (those of 25,000 or more and smaller New England cities), United Kingdom regions, Canadian provinces, Australia and its six states, New Zealand with 10 of its regions, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland (national), not Spanish municipalities. For Spanish municipalities use registered_unemployment_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03) (Cities in Washington by unemployment rate, 2025-12) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29

MLA 9

Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03), Cities in Washington by unemployment rate, 2025-12. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 30 Sept. 2026, https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/washington-cities?period=2025-12. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). Cities in Washington by unemployment rate, 2025-12. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/washington-cities?period=2025-12.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03), Cities in Washington by unemployment rate, 2025-12 [Dataset]. Available at: https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/washington-cities?period=2025-12 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_cities_in_washington_by_2026,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03): Cities in Washington by unemployment rate, 2025-12}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/washington-cities?period=2025-12. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03): Cities in Washington by unemployment rate, 2025-12
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/30
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/washington-cities?period=2025-12
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate/washington-cities?period=2025-12.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Cities in Washington by unemployment rate using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"unemployment_rate","level":"municipality","within":"Washington","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=unemployment_rate&level=municipality&within=Washington&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which city has the highest unemployment rate?

Moses Lake, WA, with 7.8% in December 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which city has the lowest unemployment rate?

Bainbridge Island, WA, with 4.2% in December 2025.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Unemployment rate: other rankings

Cities in Washington: more rankings