Washington
Data through June 2026Published August 2026Digest g0.1 · Provisional
Compiled from BLS, Census, Indeed Hiring Lab. Government statistics publish on a lag, so the latest month shown trails the calendar; every figure carries its own “data through” date.
This is the most recent edition. Newer government data for this state has not been published yet.
This month
Hiring and the pipeline are moving in opposite directions: employment fell 1.0% while permits rose 11.0%. Employment is still contracting even as new permitted work builds up behind it. BLS · Census General Contracting is the tightest trade in Washington this month, with a Trade Demand Index of 75.7. TDI General Contracting pays the most of any trade we track in Washington once wages are adjusted for local cost of living, at about $140,973. TDI
01 · Indicators
- Construction employment
- 216,800
- −1.0% YoY
- BLS · Jun 2026
- Building permits
- 3,451
- +11.0% YoY
- Census · Jun 2026
- Unemployment
- 5.2%
- +15.6% YoY
- BLS · Jun 2026
- Job postings index
- 76.0
- −4.8% YoY
- Indeed Hiring Lab · Jun 2026
02 · Tightest trades in Washington
Explore every trade and state →| # | Trade | Index | Vs. 50 states | Wage, COL-adj. | 10-yr growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Contracting | 75.7 | Critical | $141k | +18% |
| 2 | Concrete & Masonry | 69.1 | Critical | $70k | +11% |
| 3 | Electrical | 69.1 | Critical | $87k | +10% |
| 4 | Solar | 68.7 | Critical | $56k | +43% |
| 5 | Plumbing | 66.5 | Critical | $74k | +10% |
| 6 | Flooring | 64.7 | Critical | $52k | +16% |
| 7 | HVAC | 64.7 | Critical | $69k | +11% |
| 8 | Fire Protection | 63.4 | Critical | $94k | +11% |
| 9 | Windows & Doors | 63.0 | Critical | $61k | +11% |
| 10 | Insulation | 61.8 | Critical | $62k | +15% |
| 11 | Pool & Spa | 61.7 | Critical | $54k | +15% |
| 12 | Garage Doors | 60.0 | Critical | $54k | +25% |
| 13 | Painting | 59.9 | Critical | $54k | +14% |
| 14 | Locksmith | 57.0 | Critical | $53k | +16% |
| 15 | Fencing | 53.5 | Critical | $47k | +20% |
| 16 | Landscaping | 52.9 | Critical | $43k | +17% |
| 17 | Roofing | 50.8 | Critical | $55k | +11% |
| 18 | Pest Control | 50.5 | Critical | $47k | +18% |
| 19 | Cleaning & Restoration | 49.8 | Critical | $41k | +15% |
| 20 | Appliance Repair | 38.7 | Shortage | $53k | +0% |
Index 0–100, methodology v0.2 · Band is this state’s percentile among the 50 states for that trade · Wages adjusted by BEA regional price parity
03 · Desks
Federal construction awards and permit activity.
Coming in a later edition