Metro Job Market Pulse · General Market Conditions · October 2026
General Market Conditions Labor Market Report: Kennewick-Richland-Pasco, WA MSA — October 2026
Tri-Cities unemployment hits multi-year low as state job count falls.
Kennewick-area unemployment dropped to 3.5% in September, outperforming Washington's 4.8% statewide rate even as the state shed 15,400 jobs, with manufacturing wages up significantly to a $43,680 local median.
Free archive edition. Published by WageScape as sent to subscribers; data as of October 2026.
Key indicators
- Tri-Cities unemployment rate: 3.5% — Sept. 2026, lowest in years; vs 4.8% statewide
- Washington statewide job change: -15,400 jobs — Sept. 2026, even as unemployment fell to 4.8%
- Manufacturing production worker pay (metro): $43,680 — Up significantly vs $39,520 national median
- National unemployment rate: 4.1% — Oct. 2026, stable since March range of 4.1-4.3%
Key takeaways
Tri-Cities unemployment decouples from the state's trend.
Washington's statewide unemployment rate fell even as the state shed 15,400 jobs, a pattern tied to labor force contraction. Tri-Cities' 3.5% rate came alongside reported employment growth, suggesting the metro's tightening reflects demand strength.
Manufacturing pay gains outpace a national plateau.
Manufacturing production worker pay rose significantly to a $43,680 metro median against a stable $39,520 national figure, consistent with regional reports of manufacturing growth even as statewide manufacturing employment weakened. Commerce leaders citing the metro's industrial base should note this gap is a local story specific to this metro.
Skilled trades pay is falling even as shortages persist.
Electrician advertised pay dropped significantly to $89,440 even as HVAC technician pay fell to $70,660 locally, despite national trades pay trending upward and continued reports of local demand for electricians. The mismatch may suggest softening in specific project pipelines even amid steady demand, worth distinguishing before drawing conclusions about construction activity.
Healthcare wage strength tracks sector-level hiring signals.
Registered nurse pay rose moderately to a $114,504 metro median, consistent with regional reporting that healthcare projects are among the strongest local economic drivers. This aligns with the national pattern of healthcare leading private-sector hiring and reinforces healthcare's role as a stabilizing force in the metro's economic base.
Median advertised pay by role — Kennewick-Richland-Pasco, WA MSA
| Role | 25th percentile | Median advertised pay | 75th percentile | Metro trend | National median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Sales Associate | $35,734 | $39,416 | $40,976 | Moderate increase | $33,340 |
| Retail Cashier | $33,836 | $37,440 | $37,440 | Stable | $31,268 |
| Warehouse/Fulfillment Associate | $35,672 | $39,520 | $41,600 | Stable | $38,480 |
| CDL Truck Driver | $62,103 | $81,796 | $88,114 | Stable | $78,872 |
| Delivery Driver | $34,192 | $36,838 | $40,043 | Stable | $34,826 |
| Construction Laborer | $39,520 | $41,623 | $46,488 | Stable | $40,727 |
| Electrician | $75,766 | $89,440 | $101,920 | Significant decline | $71,835 |
| Manufacturing Production Worker/Assembler | $37,440 | $43,680 | $44,720 | Significant increase | $39,520 |
| Customer Service Representative | $37,368 | $41,600 | $46,192 | Stable | $39,520 |
| Food Service Worker | $32,535 | $34,307 | $35,277 | Moderate decline | $33,764 |
| Certified Nursing Assistant / Home Health Aide | $40,560 | $44,526 | $48,640 | Stable | $41,600 |
| Administrative Assistant/Office Clerk | $39,520 | $46,912 | $53,560 | Stable | $44,552 |
| HVAC Technician | $53,643 | $70,660 | $70,720 | Significant decline | $71,406 |
| Registered Nurse | $96,126 | $114,504 | $122,551 | Moderate increase | $102,252 |
| Software Engineer | $109,000 | $145,897 | $149,903 | Moderate decline | $154,403 |
| Data Engineer | $91,135 | $92,199 | $142,100 | Significant decline | $138,000 |
| Accountant | $70,996 | $86,092 | $100,000 | Stable | $72,000 |
| Financial Analyst | $73,919 | $92,028 | $102,275 | Moderate decline | $94,646 |
| HR Generalist/Manager | $67,840 | $83,907 | $83,907 | Moderate decline | $74,477 |
| Marketing Specialist * | $45,011 | $62,485 | $74,241 | Stable | $62,916 |
| Operations Manager * | $83,648 | $101,095 | $112,134 | Significant decline | $86,294 |
| Elementary/Secondary School Teacher | $37,213 | $59,673 | $70,963 | Stable | $55,908 |
| Account Manager | $62,500 | $89,156 | $101,445 | Significant increase | $94,009 |
| Warehouse Manager * | $62,400 | $76,250 | $80,000 | Significant increase | $75,000 |
| Business Analyst * | $84,378 | $101,512 | $112,400 | Stable | $98,302 |
* State-level figure shown where metro postings were too few.
WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings (reported as the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay). Download: CSV · JSON
Industry snapshot
| Sector | Median advertised pay | Pay trend | Postings trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | $64,687 | Significant decline | Significant increase |
| Manufacturing | $59,465 | Significant increase | Significant increase |
| Retail Trade | $41,410 | Moderate increase | Significant increase |
| Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities | $63,970 | Moderate decline | Significant increase |
| Information | $67,400 | Stable | Significant increase |
| Financial Activities | $54,995 | Moderate decline | Significant increase |
| Professional & Business Services | $98,522 | Significant increase | Significant increase |
| Education & Health Services | $96,096 | Moderate increase | Significant increase |
| Leisure & Hospitality | $37,301 | Moderate decline | Significant increase |
| Government | $73,140 | Stable | Significant increase |
Local market conditions
Tri-Cities unemployment fell to 3.5% in September, a multi-year low that stands roughly 1.3 points below the national rate of 4.8% and more than a point under the state's 4.8% figure, driven by healthcare and manufacturing expansion even as professional/business services and manufacturing employment slipped year-over-year. Washington's broader contraction — a 15,400-job statewide drop in September alongside falling unemployment — appears to reflect labor force shrinkage, a dynamic that has not shown up in Tri-Cities data, where August employment rose 1.0% from July.
What it means
Divergence between Tri-Cities' tightening labor market and the state's contracting one suggests local economic momentum is outpacing Washington's broader trend, a distinction worth highlighting to site-selection prospects and regional investors comparing Tri-Cities against Seattle-King County, where job ads, a signal of hiring demand (one ad often covers several openings), rank among the nation's weakest. Manufacturing production worker pay rising sharply (Metro median $43,680, up significantly) alongside continued trades shortages in construction — particularly electricians, despite local electrician pay actually declining — points to uneven wage signals within sectors commerce leaders should examine before citing labor costs in business-climate pitches. Consider reviewing sector-specific wage trends before using metro-wide averages in public messaging, since aggregate stability can mask significant movement in individual trades.
Looking ahead
Worth watching: Tri-Cities' unemployment rate has fallen for three straight months while the state lost jobs overall; watch whether October data confirms the metro is adding jobs or is also seeing labor-force contraction once revised figures post.
Emerging pressure point: Construction and trades pay movements are diverging — electrician and HVAC technician pay both fell locally despite reported hiring difficulty in trades. Commerce leaders should watch whether this reflects a pause in large regional construction projects even amid steady demand.
Early indicator: Washington sits atop the national WARN registry with over 16,000 workers affected, led by agriculture and technology sectors; none of the largest filings are currently sited in the Tri-Cities, but any spillover into regional supply chains or agricultural employers bears monitoring.
Potential inflection point: Retail and office development activity is reportedly slowing locally while healthcare and manufacturing expand; a shift in the metro's commercial real estate mix over the next two months would be a leading signal of where business investment is heading.
Sources
- Tri-Cities Business News — Tri-Cities unemployment rate fell to 3.5% in September 2026
- Washington Employment Security Department — Washington lost 15,400 jobs in September while unemployment fell to 4.8%
- Bureau of Labor Statistics — National unemployment rate stable at 4.1% in October 2026
- Washington WARN Act Registry — Washington leads national WARN registry with over 16,000 affected workers
- Tri-Cities Business News — Healthcare and manufacturing are regional growth sectors; retail/office slowing
Methodology
Advertised pay from active employer job postings, not survey data. WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings: distribution analysis shows roughly the lowest 10% of raw values are erroneous entries, so the reported median is the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay. WageScape observes 98% of U.S. job openings daily.
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