Adams County unemployment drops in August
Source: Washington Department of Employment Security
YAKIMA — Unemployment in Adams County dipped to 3.8 percent in August, down one-tenth of one percent compared to August 2018. The county’s total nonfarm employment has been going up, when counted year over year, for the past 13 months.
“The current 3.8 percent unemployment rate is the lowest reading for the month of August in Adams County since electronic records were implemented in 1990 – excellent news for the local economy,” wrote Don Meseck, regional labor economist for the Washington Department of Employment Security. Nonfarm employment in Adams County was up by 3.6 percent and 220 jobs from August 2017.
The county’s manufacturing sector added 100 jobs between August 2017 and August 2018, a 9.3 percent increase. “Year over year, employment among Adams County’s manufacturers has increased for the past 11 months, October 2017 through August 2018. Approximately 85 to 90 percent of Adams County’s manufacturing jobs are with food processors (or) manufacturers.”
The “mining, logging and construction” sector gained 20 jobs between August 2017 and August 2018, a 15.4 percent increase.
The county’s education and health services sector gained 110 jobs year over year, a 16.4 percent increase. “Private health service providers account for the vast majority of jobs in this combined category,” Meseck wrote. The education and health services sector has been growing in Adams County for the past 11 months, October 2017 through August 2018.
The news was not as good in the retail trade sector. Retail trade lost 40 jobs, year over year, and the number of jobs remained unchanged between July and August 2018. Jobs in the county’s leisure and hospitality sector increased by 10 between August 2017 and August 2018, but dropped by 10 between July and August 2018.
Agriculture jobs are measured on a 10-year time frame, and agriculture is a dominant sector in Adams County’s economy. Agriculture jobs accounted for about 30 percent of total jobs in Adams County, an increase from 20.7 percent in 2007.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.