PORT ANGELES — Unemployment remained below 8 percent on the North Olympic Peninsula as the Clallam and Jefferson County labor forces grew by a combined 470 residents in May, state officials reported Tuesday.
Clallam County unemployment went from a revised 7.9 percent in April to 7.8 percent last month, according to state Employment Security Department estimates.
Jefferson County unemployment went from a revised 6.7 percent in April to a preliminary 7.1 percent in May, officials said.
The estimated unemployment rates in Clallam and Jefferson counties were 8.2 and 8.1 percent, respectively, in May 2014.
Clallam County’s labor force grew by 270 in May from 26,710 residents in April, Employment Security said.
Jefferson County’s workforce increased by 200 in May from 11,000 in April.
Unemployment rates do not factor those who are underemployed, commute to other counties or have quit looking for a job.
A breakdown of the type of jobs gained or lost on the North Olympic Peninsula in May was not provided with the monthly report for individual counties.
King County had the lowest unemployment in the state in May at 3.7 percent.
Ferry County had the highest unemployment at 9.9 percent.
Meanwhile, the statewide unemployment rate went from 5.5 percent in April to 5.4 percent in May, Employment Security said.
The national jobless rate went from 5.4 percent in April to 5.5 percent last month, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates.