Pacific County’s unemployment rate climbed above 6% in November, according to preliminary figures released by the Washington State Employment Security Department last week.

The monthly data from the state agency estimated that the county’s jobless rate increased from 5.8% in October to 6.3% in November, which itself is lower than the 6.7% rate from the previous November. It’s the lowest mark for the county in any November dating back to at least 1990, which is as far back as ESD’s county-level data goes.

Overall, the county unemployment rate ranked 36th out of Washington’s 39 counties in November and was better than neighboring Grays Harbor (6.9%) and Wahkiakum (6.6%) counties. As usual, Ferry County in the northeast corner of the state had the highest unemployment rate for the month, at 8.3%.

The statewide unemployment rate sat at 4.4% for November, flat from October’s mark and up a tick from 4.3% in November 2023. Thirteen counties had an unemployment rate at or below 4.5%, with Asotin County in the southeast corner of the state leading the way with a 3.2% mark.

An estimated 6,230 people in Pacific County were employed in nonfarm jobs in November, down 0.5% from October but up 1.3% from the year prior. The figures exclude farm workers, private household employees, business owners and those employed by nonprofits. It’s the county’s best nonfarm employment mark for the month of November since 2006.

The gains came despite employment in the county’s sizable public sector falling from 1,870 in November 2023 to 1,820 this November — a drop of 2.7%. The biggest local private industry, leisure and hospitality, was mostly flat from a year ago, dropping 1% from 980 to 970 workers.

Some of the biggest year-over-year gains in the county came in the mining, logging and construction sector, which saw its ranks increase 7.3% from 410 workers in November 2023 to 440 workers a year later. Manufacturing employment also saw a bump, increasing from 680 to 700 workers — a gain of 2.9%.

The county’s education and health services workforce also saw a welcome boost, increasing 6.3% from 630 in November 2023 to 670 this past November. Local retail employment was flat over the past year, holding steady at 690 workers.