Washington jobless rate hits low of 5.2 percent in December

The unemployment rate in Washington hit a new low of 5.2 percent in December as employers added 6,700 new jobs, the state said Thursday.

“Washington’s economy finished strong in 2016 and the short-term job outlook remains positive,” said Paul Turek, economist for the state Employment Security Department.

The jobless rate dropped for the fifth month in a row. The rate in the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett area held steady at 3.7 percent. All other local figures will be released Tuesday. The November jobless rate in Spokane County was 5.6 percent.

Nationally, the unemployment rate increased slightly to 4.7 percent in December.

The state paid unemployment insurance benefits to 70,238 people in December. The labor force remained virtually unchanged, at 3.69 million.