Seattle’s job market is cooling from its post‑pandemic boom but remains relatively resilient and diversified. According to the Washington State Employment Security Department and recent analysis by CoStar, the Seattle metro added roughly half a percent more jobs over the past year, but growth has slowed sharply as tech and logistics pull back and office‑using employment stalls. CoStar reports that Seattle’s information sector shed around 2,000 jobs in late 2025, reflecting broader tech downsizing, while logistics vacancies rose and industrial rents fell, signaling softer demand for warehouse and distribution work. At the same time, healthcare, government, education, and professional services continue to provide a stable employment base, and medical office space remains tight, pointing to steady healthcare hiring. Retail is a relative bright spot: CoStar notes that Seattle’s retail availability is among the lowest nationally, with space leasing quickly and rent growth outpacing the U.S. average, supporting jobs in food service, store operations, and logistics support roles. Construction tied to data centers and infrastructure has also added jobs, according to industry analyses of recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data, though at a modest pace. Local unemployment is estimated to be in the mid‑4 percent range, roughly in line with a softening national labor market, but precise monthly figures are temporarily less reliable because the federal shutdown disrupted normal Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting, creating short‑term data gaps. Major employers include Amazon, Microsoft, Costco, the University of Washington, large health systems like Providence and Swedish, Boeing’s regional operations, and Starbucks, though union actions such as the late‑2025 Starbucks Workers United strike at company headquarters highlight rising labor activism and potential wage pressure. Growing and relatively resilient sectors include cloud and AI services, cybersecurity, clean energy and grid modernization, biotech, specialized healthcare, and niche advanced manufacturing. Remote and hybrid work patterns mean many workers commute fewer days, easing peak congestion but weakening downtown office demand and related jobs. Washington’s government is also reshaping the safety net: beginning in 2026, a new law will allow some striking workers to claim unemployment insurance, which policy analysts warn could increase UI fund strain and employer payroll costs. Key findings for listeners: Seattle’s job market is slowing but not collapsing; tech and logistics are under pressure, while healthcare, retail, and public and professional services offer more stability; labor data are temporarily noisy; and policy shifts plus union activity are changing the balance of power between employers and workers. As of this week, examples of current openings in Seattle include a software development engineer at Amazon, a registered nurse position at Swedish Medical Center, and a data analyst role at the University of Washington.

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