Whatcom County, WA jobs, unemployment and layoffs
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Show me jobs near meWhatcom County economy
3.5%
unemployment, Sep 2026
3.9% the month before
113,440
in the labor force
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
228,432
people in Whatcom County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
$80,989
median household income
Source: Census ACS
41%
of workers in white-collar occupations
Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS
Where Whatcom County ranks
Where Whatcom County placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #9Counties with the lowest unemployment in the Pacific Northwest3.5% · of 43
- #9Counties with the lowest unemployment in the West Coast3.5% · of 86
- #12Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the Pacific Northwest41% · of 43
- #13Fastest-growing job markets in the Pacific Northwest+0.8% · of 23
- #14Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Pacific Northwest16% · of 30
Whatcom County outlook: Building
Built from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census figures. It describes the area, not any one employer in it.
- Private-sector jobs up 0.8% from 2022 to 2025
- Population up 3.9% from 2020 to 2025
- Unemployment 3.5%, down 0.4 points from a year ago
- Sectors adding the most jobs: health care (+1,250 jobs), other services (+384 jobs)
- Sectors losing the most jobs: hotels & food (−675 jobs), retail (−430 jobs)
Local job-market news
Recent headlines about layoffs, AI and jobs in Whatcom County. Each link goes to the publisher.
- Comcast to lay off nearly 160 workers in WA, includes positions in BellinghamMy Bellingham Now · Nov 2, 2026
- Why are so many Bellingham restaurants closing? What one local broker has to sayThe Bellingham Herald on MSN · Oct 26, 2026
- In an age of news deserts and ghost papers, what’s next for McClatchy?KUOW · Oct 15, 2026
Learn and get funded in Whatcom 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.
Whatcom County layoffs
2
Layoff notices, last 12 months
86
workers named
A floor: states may leave out counts
2
employers
| Notice date | Employer | City or county | Workers | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Technologies Services, Inc.Takes effect Aug 31, 2026 | Bellingham | 75 | Closure | State record | |
| CHS NorthwestTakes effect Apr 1, 2026 | Lynden | 11 | Layoff | State record |
Employers hiring most in Whatcom 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.
- Western Washington University12 open roles
- Place4 open roles
- Energy Innovation: Policy and Technology3 open roles
- Gecko Hospitality3 open roles
- Lifeline Connections3 open roles
- Bellingham Technical College2 open roles
- Customs and Border Protection2 open roles
- GPAC2 open roles
- Add-On Criteria1 open role
- BP1 open role
Colleges in Whatcom County
| College | City | Type | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Washington University | Bellingham | Public 4-year | 10,000–19,999 |
| Northwest Indian College | Bellingham | Public 4-year | Under 1,000 |
Workforce development and job centers
The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving Whatcom 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).
- Northwest Workforce Council
Island, San Juan, Skagit, Whatcom
WorkSource Whatcom
Bellingham · Comprehensive · 360-676-1521
M-W-TH-F 8-5 Tuesdays 9-5
Cities in Whatcom County
Other Washington counties
Laid off or looking for work in Whatcom 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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