November unemployment down in Adams County

RITZVILLE — Unemployment in Adams County dropped more than two percent between November 2016 and November 2017. Unemployment went up between October and November 2017, however.

The November 2107 unemployment rate was 5.3 percent, down from 7.4 percent in November 2016. But unemployment rose from 3.7 percent in October 2017.

“Year over year, total nonfarm employment in Adams County increased for the past four months, August through November 2017,” wrote Don Meseck, regional labor economist for the Washington Department of Employment Security. “In November 2017, total nonfarm employment (in the county) was 5,900, up by 2.6 percent and 150 jobs from the 5,750 jobs tallied in November 2016.”

The county’s labor force grew by 6.9 percent, from 8,198 to 8,761. “Simultaneously, the number of unemployed Adams County residents plummeted by 23.9 percent, from 606 in November 2016 to 461 in November 2017.” That’s the lowest unemployment rate for November in 27 years, Meseck said.

Most sectors in the county’s economy posted gains between November 2016 and November 2017. Jobs in the “mining, logging and construction” sector of Adams County are all in construction, and the sector added 20 jobs, a 16.7 percent increase.

“Manufacturing employment in Adams County tallied 10 more jobs this November versus November 2016, as employment edged upward from 1,040 to 1,050, a one percent upturn,” Meseck wrote. The county’s manufacturing sector expanded in October and November. About 85 to 90 percent of Adams County jobs in manufacturing are in food processing.

The “transportation, warehousing and utilities” sector includes trucking, and in Adams County it added 20 jobs between the Novembers, a 4.7 percent increase. In Adams County, many of those jobs are tied in with the local ag industry, Meseck wrote.

“Year over year, Adams County’s private education and health services industry lost jobs for 27 months, July 2015 through September 2017, stabilized in October 2017, and rose 3.2 percent in November 2017.” The education and health services sector added 20 jobs when the Novembers.

The “leisure and hospitality” sector added 50 jobs between the Novembers. “The recent 50-job upturn between November 2016 (380 jobs) and November 2017 (430 jobs) was a strong, 13.2 percent advance for an industry which stagnated at 390 jobs in 2015 and 2016.”

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.