Unemployment stable in Thurston County in February

The unemployment rate in Thurston County remained stable in February.

The state Employment Security Department reported Tuesday that the unemployment rate in Thurston County stood at 6.3 percent, which mirrored the figure noted the month before.

In Pierce County, the unemployment rate in February stood at 6.6 percent, down from 6.7 percent recorded in January.

The February figures were the lowest in both counties for the month since 2008.

“In Pierce it’s a lot of construction, but there’s everything else. Things are still moving along,” said Jim Vleming, regional labor economist with the department, on Tuesday.

Both Pierce and Thurston counties are showing better results than the state overall.

The gains in construction jobs in both counties, coupled with additional jobs in the hospitality industry, signal steady growth, Vleming said.

“That’s indicative of confidence in the economy.”

This story was originally published March 29, 2016 at 2:15 PM with the headline "Unemployment stable in Thurston County in February."