NextChapter

Fastest-growing job markets in the West Coast

Marion County leads the West Coast for job growth: private-sector jobs are +7.7% since 2022, against +0.2% across all large counties.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census data.

Key facts

  • #1 Marion County, OR: +7.7%
  • #2 Madera County, CA: +6.9%
  • #3 Kings County, CA: +6.7%
  • 59 counties ranked in the West Coast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: +0.2% across all large counties.

  1. 1Marion County OR+7.7%
  2. 2Madera County CA+6.9%
  3. 3Kings County CA+6.7%
  4. 4Shasta County CA+6.0%
  5. 5Benton County WA+5.9%
  6. 6Yamhill County OR+5.7%
  7. 7Deschutes County OR+5.3%
  8. 8Snohomish County WA+4.6%
  9. 9Nevada County CA+4.4%
  10. 10Humboldt County CA+4.4%

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Marion County (+7.7%) is well clear of Humboldt County at #10 (+4.4%).
  • Nevada County reaches #9 on a sample of 27,951 jobs, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Snohomish County is the largest market in the top ten, with 257,388 jobs behind its figure.
  • Counties with fewer than 20,000 jobs are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Private-sector job counts and population growth show which counties are adding people and work, rather than which are already large.

How to use it

If you are choosing where to settle, growth counties often have newer employers still building teams. Read the county page for its largest employers and layoffs.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Marion County OR

    +7.7%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    136,757
    Jobs added since 2022
    +9,745
    Population since 2020
    +2.7%

    Based on 136,757 jobs.

    Marion County job market

  2. 2

    Madera County CA

    +6.9%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    45,303
    Jobs added since 2022
    +2,931
    Population since 2020
    +7.4%

    Based on 45,303 jobs.

    Madera County job market

  3. 3

    Kings County CA

    +6.7%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    36,520
    Jobs added since 2022
    +2,285
    Population since 2020
    +1.0%

    Based on 36,520 jobs.

    Kings County job market

  4. 4

    Shasta County CA

    +6.0%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    58,359
    Jobs added since 2022
    +3,278
    Population since 2020
    −0.3%

    Based on 58,359 jobs.

    Shasta County job market

  5. 5

    Benton County WA

    +5.9%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    86,994
    Jobs added since 2022
    +4,844
    Population since 2020
    +6.9%

    Based on 86,994 jobs.

    Benton County job market

  6. 6

    Yamhill County OR

    +5.7%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    35,609
    Jobs added since 2022
    +1,915
    Population since 2020
    +2.2%

    Based on 35,609 jobs.

    Yamhill County job market

  7. 7

    Deschutes County OR

    +5.3%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    83,459
    Jobs added since 2022
    +4,236
    Population since 2020
    +6.8%

    Based on 83,459 jobs.

    Deschutes County job market

  8. 8

    Snohomish County WA

    +4.6%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    257,388
    Jobs added since 2022
    +11,396
    Population since 2020
    +4.9%

    Based on 257,388 jobs.

    Snohomish County job market

  9. 9

    Nevada County CA

    +4.4%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    27,951
    Jobs added since 2022
    +1,179
    Population since 2020
    −0.4%

    Based on 27,951 jobs.

    Nevada County job market

  10. 10

    Humboldt County CA

    +4.4%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    37,775
    Jobs added since 2022
    +1,575
    Population since 2020
    −3.4%

    Based on 37,775 jobs.

    Humboldt County job market

  11. 11

    Solano County CA

    +3.8%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    119,904
    Jobs added since 2022
    +4,387
    Population since 2020
    +0.5%

    Based on 119,904 jobs.

    Solano County job market

  12. 12

    Riverside County CA

    +3.8%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    703,703
    Jobs added since 2022
    +25,703
    Population since 2020
    +5.0%

    Based on 703,703 jobs.

    Riverside County job market

  13. 13

    Skagit County WA

    +3.6%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    41,382
    Jobs added since 2022
    +1,447
    Population since 2020
    +2.4%

    Based on 41,382 jobs.

    Skagit County job market

  14. 14

    Clark County WA

    +3.3%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    154,948
    Jobs added since 2022
    +4,964
    Population since 2020
    +5.3%

    Based on 154,948 jobs.

    Clark County job market

  15. 15

    Pierce County WA

    +3.3%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    276,587
    Jobs added since 2022
    +8,707
    Population since 2020
    +2.5%

    Based on 276,587 jobs.

    Pierce County job market

  16. 16

    Sacramento County CA

    +3.1%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    534,092
    Jobs added since 2022
    +16,247
    Population since 2020
    +2.0%

    Based on 534,092 jobs.

    Sacramento County job market

  17. 17

    Fresno County CA

    +2.9%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    350,378
    Jobs added since 2022
    +10,036
    Population since 2020
    +2.6%

    Based on 350,378 jobs.

    Fresno County job market

  18. 18

    Placer County CA

    +2.5%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    165,925
    Jobs added since 2022
    +4,102
    Population since 2020
    +8.9%

    Based on 165,925 jobs.

    Placer County job market

  19. 19

    Thurston County WA

    +2.4%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    85,964
    Jobs added since 2022
    +1,986
    Population since 2020
    +2.8%

    Based on 85,964 jobs.

    Thurston County job market

  20. 20

    San Joaquin County CA

    +2.1%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    243,606
    Jobs added since 2022
    +4,973
    Population since 2020
    +5.5%

    Based on 243,606 jobs.

    San Joaquin County job market

  21. 21

    Imperial County CA

    +2.0%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    47,209
    Jobs added since 2022
    +909
    Population since 2020
    +1.0%

    Based on 47,209 jobs.

    Imperial County job market

  22. 22

    Jackson County OR

    +1.9%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    80,868
    Jobs added since 2022
    +1,543
    Population since 2020
    −0.9%

    Based on 80,868 jobs.

    Jackson County job market

  23. 23

    Ventura County CA

    +1.7%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    288,572
    Jobs added since 2022
    +4,919
    Population since 2020
    −1.5%

    Based on 288,572 jobs.

    Ventura County job market

  24. 24

    Clackamas County OR

    +1.7%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    157,803
    Jobs added since 2022
    +2,654
    Population since 2020
    +0.9%

    Based on 157,803 jobs.

    Clackamas County job market

  25. 25

    San Luis Obispo County CA

    +1.6%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    99,890
    Jobs added since 2022
    +1,569
    Population since 2020
    +0.0%

    Based on 99,890 jobs.

    San Luis Obispo County job market

Full ranking

All 59 counties that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCountyScoreSample
1Marion County OR+7.7%136,757
2Madera County CA+6.9%45,303
3Kings County CA+6.7%36,520
4Shasta County CA+6.0%58,359
5Benton County WA+5.9%86,994
6Yamhill County OR+5.7%35,609
7Deschutes County OR+5.3%83,459
8Snohomish County WA+4.6%257,388
9Nevada County CA+4.4%27,951
10Humboldt County CA+4.4%37,775
11Solano County CA+3.8%119,904
12Riverside County CA+3.8%703,703
13Skagit County WA+3.6%41,382
14Clark County WA+3.3%154,948
15Pierce County WA+3.3%276,587
16Sacramento County CA+3.1%534,092
17Fresno County CA+2.9%350,378
18Placer County CA+2.5%165,925
19Thurston County WA+2.4%85,964
20San Joaquin County CA+2.1%243,606
21Imperial County CA+2.0%47,209
22Jackson County OR+1.9%80,868
23Ventura County CA+1.7%288,572
24Clackamas County OR+1.7%157,803
25San Luis Obispo County CA+1.6%99,890
26Spokane County WA+1.6%206,384
27El Dorado County CA+1.5%48,073
28Napa County CA+1.3%68,695
29Orange County CA+1.1%1,501,121
30San Diego County CA+0.9%1,288,378
31Whatcom County WA+0.8%78,177
32Contra Costa County CA+0.7%324,325
33Merced County CA+0.5%66,454
34Los Angeles County CA+0.2%3,927,366
35Kitsap County WA+0.1%59,140
36Marin County CA+0.0%94,533
37Grant County WA−0.0%33,446
38San Bernardino County CA−0.1%710,949
39Lane County OR−0.1%130,846
40Yakima County WA−0.3%97,163
41Stanislaus County CA−0.3%166,558
42Santa Clara County CA−0.4%1,021,232
43Kern County CA−0.5%273,487
44Santa Cruz County CA−0.9%85,953
45Cowlitz County WA−1.0%34,461
46Douglas County OR−1.3%30,893
47Linn County OR−1.5%41,938
48Tulare County CA−1.6%138,234
49Washington County OR−1.6%277,540
50Monterey County CA−1.7%162,967
51Sonoma County CA−1.7%178,346
52Alameda County CA−1.8%670,154
53Butte County CA−2.0%62,412
54King County WA−2.2%1,255,504
55Santa Barbara County CA−2.6%179,411
56Multnomah County OR−2.8%415,659
57Yolo County CA−2.9%72,900
58San Mateo County CA−3.0%380,332
59San Francisco County CA−7.6%586,454

How this ranking works

A county's score is the change in private-sector jobs from 2022 to 2025, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages.

Only counties with at least 20,000 private-sector jobs in 2022 and 100,000 residents are ranked, so small counties do not swing the list. Sectors a county suppresses for confidentiality are left out of that county's total.

Sample bar: counties with fewer than 20,000 jobs are not ranked.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2022 to 2025; Census Bureau population estimates, 2020 to 2025. Data as of November 2026.

Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.

Questions

Which county ranks first: fastest-growing job markets in the west coast?
Marion County leads the West Coast for job growth: private-sector jobs are +7.7% since 2022, against +0.2% across all large counties.
How many counties are ranked?
59 counties have at least 20,000 jobs, so the list has 59 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A county's score is the change in private-sector jobs from 2022 to 2025, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Only counties with at least 20,000 private-sector jobs in 2022 and 100,000 residents are ranked, so small counties do not swing the list. Sectors a county suppresses for confidentiality are left out of that county's total.
How often is it updated?
Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.

More rankings

Cite this ranking

NextChapter, “Fastest-growing job markets in the West Coast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/fastest-growing-job-markets-in-the-west-coast

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/fastest-growing-job-markets-in-the-west-coast">Fastest-growing job markets in the West Coast (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.

The job market, once a week

One email every Tuesday with the week's most useful read on the job market and the search, plus occasional news from NextChapter. No account needed. Unsubscribe any time.

Applying and hearing nothing back?

Find out where you stand: your odds, the jobs that fit you and a plan for the week ahead. Free. No résumé needed.

Already a member? Log in

Get my Market Reality Assessment

Run a workforce board, job center or economic development office, or hire in the places and industries on this list?

Leave your work email. We'll send how organizations use NextChapter to reach job seekers.

See how organizations use it