Pacific Northwest leads most of the nation in employment

EVERETT — Snohomish and King counties gained jobs at a faster rate from February 2016 to February 2017 than almost every other major metropolitan area in the U.S., according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The number of jobs in the area around Everett, Seattle and Bellevue grew by 3 percent during that time period. Employment went from 1,611,600 to 1,659,600. That does not include agricultural workers. Philadelphia’s employment also increased by 3 percent.

Only Camden, New Jersey, and the greater Dallas area gained jobs at a faster pace — 3.7 percent.

The Tacoma area also saw employment grow by 2.5 percent, increasing the number of nonfarm workers on a payroll from 299,100 to 306,600 during the 12-month-long period.

Most of the 34 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics saw employment increase. Four areas experienced decreases. The area around Lawrence, Massachusetts, and Salem, New Hampshire, saw the largest drop — a 1.1 percent drop in nonfarm employment.

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