Benton and Franklin counties saw their unemployment rate increase slightly from December 2024 to January 2025 despite Benton County adding nearly 1,250 workers to payrolls during that time and the region’s labor pool growing by fewer than 50 people. 

The state Employment Security Department reported that the Tri-Cities had a total labor pool of 145,497 people in January 2025, with 137,133 employed and 8,364 unemployed for a cumulative unemployment rate of 5.7%. 

The numbers were a slight decline from the prior month, when 137,283 people were employed and 8,175 unemployed, leading to an unemployment rate of 5.6%. 

Much of the change resulted from shifts in Franklin County, which saw its labor pool shrink by roughly 1,000 workers from December 2024 to January 2025 while still adding nearly 200 to the unemployment rolls. 

A year ago, the region’s unemployment rate was 5% in January 2024, with 137,789 people employed and 7,332 unemployed.