Washington state’s unemployment rate held steady in July, but the Tri-Cities metro area saw it jump as hundreds of individuals began seeking unemployment benefits. 

Statewide unemployment sat at 4.5%, the same as the revised June unemployment rate. The state also added jobs month-over-month and even year-over-year, though the latter was only estimated at 4,800 jobs. 

But for Benton and Franklin counties, July brought 1,700 new applications for unemployment benefits, pushing the region’s unemployment rate to 4.6%.  The region has historically seen unemployment increase beginning in July as the agriculture industry shifts and this year’s decline is less than past years.  

However, Benton County’s workforce picture was more stark. More people were unemployed a year ago but there were also thousands more who were working. Benton County’s workforce was recorded as 102,460 in July, about 800 higher than the previous month, but down about 3,500 from July 2024. 

Franklin County’s July workforce was virtually unchanged from a year ago, though down about 800 individuals compared to the prior month. The county saw about 500 more people join the unemployment rolls between June and July, though fewer were unemployed compared to a year prior. 

Recent data on industry employment at the county level was not yet available. State employment officials noted that statewide, job losses were seen in construction; manufacturing; professional services such as scientific research and management; and government at all levels.