Pierce County, WA jobs, unemployment and layoffs
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Show me jobs near mePierce County economy
5.1%
unemployment, Sep 2026
5.1% the month before
499,802
in the labor force
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
924,106
people in Pierce County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
$96,632
median household income
Source: Census ACS
38%
of workers in white-collar occupations
Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS
Where Pierce County ranks
Where Pierce County placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #8Fastest-growing job markets in the Pacific Northwest+3.3% · of 23
- #10Best county job markets for job seekers in the Pacific Northwest21 / 100 · of 10
- #10Best counties for laid-off professionals in the Pacific Northwest28 / 100 · of 10
- #11Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the Pacific Northwest1 per 100 · of 11
- #11Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Pacific Northwest18% · of 30
- #15Fastest-growing job markets in the West Coast+3.3% · of 59
Pierce County outlook: Steady
Built from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census figures. It describes the area, not any one employer in it.
- Private-sector jobs up 3.3% from 2022 to 2025
- Population up 2.5% from 2020 to 2025
- Unemployment 5.1%, unchanged from a year ago
- Sectors adding the most jobs: health care (+5,878 jobs), transportation & warehousing (+2,531 jobs)
- Sectors losing the most jobs: construction (−1,395 jobs), retail (−1,155 jobs)
Local job-market news
Recent headlines about layoffs, AI and jobs in Pierce County. Each link goes to the publisher.
- Tacoma Youth Psychiatric Unit Closing Nov. 21, Cutting Quarter of State's BedsHoodline · Oct 27, 2026
- Starbucks Layoffs: WARN Notice Reveals 135 Job Cuts Across Seattle and SEA AirportLatestLY · Oct 26, 2026
- Starbucks in SEA Airport’s Terminal A to close, affecting 13 employeesKIRO 7 News Seattle on MSN · Oct 24, 2026
- Heading to Gig Harbor westbound on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge? Pack a snackGig Harbor Now · Oct 22, 2026
- In an age of news deserts and ghost papers, what’s next for McClatchy?KUOW · Oct 15, 2026
Learn and get funded in Pierce County
- Which AI skills each kind of job asks for, with the pay premium.
- Your local workforce board and American Job Centers: training vouchers and re-employment help.
- Grants and funding for job seekers, ranked for your state and situation.
- Unemployment benefits by state, if you are between jobs.
Pierce County layoffs
8
Layoff notices, last 12 months
567
workers named
A floor: states may leave out counts
7
employers
| Notice date | Employer | City or county | Workers | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maverick Washington LLC / Chips CasinoTakes effect Nov 30, 2026 | Lakewood | 131 | Closure | State record | |
| Maverick Washington LLC / Macau CasinoTakes effect Nov 30, 2026 | Lakewood | 106 | Closure | State record | |
| Maverick Washington LLC / Palace CasinoTakes effect Nov 30, 2026 | Lakewood | 15 | Closure | State record | |
| Comprehensive Life ResourcesTakes effect Nov 21, 2026 | Tacoma | 92 | Layoff | State record | |
| Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLCTakes effect Oct 30, 2026 | Tacoma | 120 | Closure | State record | |
| NorwescoTakes effect Oct 16, 2026 | Fife | 54 | Closure | State record | |
| MaerskTakes effect Jun 30, 2026 | Lakewood | 44 | Closure | State record | |
| MaerskTakes effect Jun 30, 2026 | Sumner | 5 | Layoff | State record |
Employers hiring most in Pierce County
Employers with the most open professional roles in this county’s cities. The county is taken from each job’s city, so roles with no city are not counted.
- Globe Main8 open roles
- Amazon7 open roles
- Quanta Services6 open roles
- Safeway5 open roles
- Infoblox4 open roles
- TOTE Maritime4 open roles
- Veterans Health Administration4 open roles
- Albertsons Companies3 open roles
- Builders FirstSource3 open roles
- Cintas3 open roles
Colleges in Pierce County
| College | City | Type | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Lutheran University | Tacoma | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| University of Puget Sound | Tacoma | Private non-profit 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| University of Washington-Tacoma Campus | Tacoma | Public 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
| Faith International University | Tacoma | Private non-profit 4-year | Under 1,000 |
Conferences in Pierce County
Industry conferences and trade shows held in Pierce County. 2 with dates announced.
- HPS Annual Meeting
Jul 11 to Jul 15, 2027 · Tacoma, WA
Paid ticket. Registration fees not stated on the page; member discounts may apply.
- NACM Annual Conference
Jul 18 to Jul 22, 2027 · Tacoma, WA
Paid ticket. Fees not read.
Open call for speakers
Workforce development and job centers
The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving Pierce County. They offer free help with job search, training and filing for benefits.
Laid off in Washington? How to file for unemployment in Washington (steps, weekly amount and the appeal deadline).
WorkSource AJC Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Jblm · Affiliate · 253-593-7320
Mon-Fri, 9:00-4:00
Pierce College Fort Steilacoom
Lakewood · Affiliate · 253-964-6265
Walk-ins 8:30am to 11:00am M-F, Appointments 1:00 p.m. to 4:00p.m. M-F
Goodwill Milgard Work Opportunity Center
Tacoma · Affiliate · 253-573-6577
M - F 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
WorkSource Pierce County
Tacoma · Comprehensive · 253-593-7300
Monday 9:00am-5pm, Tuesday-Friday 8am-5pm
Cities in Pierce County
Other Washington counties
Laid off or looking for work in Pierce County?
See what to do first and the jobs open near you.
See your options after a layoffSources: Census Bureau and BLS (county unemployment is not seasonally adjusted); layoff notices from Washington’s published record; job counts from our live job board; IPEDS for colleges; CareerOneStop for workforce boards and job centers. Washington unemployment benefits and severance rules.
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