Unemployment dropped to 5.1 percent in Spokane metro area during June

Unemployment rates for the Spokane metro area dropped to 5.1 percent in June, continuing the pace of strong job growth for the region.

The jobless rate is the lowest recorded since 2007, which marked one of the historic lows for unemployment in the metro area encompassing Spokane, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties, said Doug Tweedy, regional economist for the Washington Employment Security Department.

The unemployment rate for the Spokane metro area was 5.2 percent in May and 6.4 percent in June 2016.

The three counties have added about 7,000 jobs over the past 12 months, Tweedy said.

“The jobs being created are good jobs - in high paying fields with benefits,” he said.

The education sector has added about 700 jobs in the metro area since June 2016. Typically, education jobs decrease during the summer, but an increase in college summer school classes and athletic camps and summer camps are keeping the numbers more stable yearround, Tweedy said.

Transportation and warehouse jobs have increased by 300 in the metro area over the past year, reflecting the societal shift to increased online shopping, he said.

Tweedy also said that leisure and hospitality jobs show a net increase of 1,800 workers since June 2016. However, many of those jobs are seasonal, he said.

June unemployment rates by county were: Spokane, 5 percent; Stevens, 6 percent; Pend Oreille, 6.4 percent; Lincoln, 4.1 percent; Adams, 4.3 percent; and Ferry, 9.9 percent.