Whatcom County, Washington Employment Sector Statistics (2024)
Workforce distribution by employment sector for Whatcom County, Washington
Employment Indicators for Whatcom County, Washington (2024)
Total Employed
115,468
Civilian 16+
Private For-Profit
67.6 %
Largest Sector
Self-Employed
7.5%
Entrepreneurship
Government
15.7%
Public Sector
Whatcom County, Washington Workforce by Sector & Gender

Whatcom County, Washington Employment Sector Breakdown
| Sector | Total Workers | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 78,039 | 67.6% |
| Government | 18,125 | 15.7% |
| Self-Employed | 8,629 | 7.5% |
| Private Non-Profit | 10,323 | 8.9% |
Whatcom County, Washington Gender Ratio Analysis by Employment Sector (2024)
| Sector | Male:Female Ratio |
|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 1.29:1 |
| Government | 0.80:1 |
| Self-Employed | 1.10:1 |
Whatcom County, Washington Employment Trends (2010–2024)

Whatcom County, Washington Historical Employment Sector Trends
| Year | Private | Gov | Self-Emp | Non-Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 67.6% | 15.7% | 7.5% | 8.9% |
| 2023 | 67.9% | 15.7% | 7.5% | 8.7% |
| 2022 | 67.6% | 16.3% | 7.2% | 8.7% |
| 2021 | 67.8% | 16.5% | 7.4% | 8.2% |
| 2020 | 68.3% | 16.0% | 7.3% | 8.2% |
| 2019 | 68.7% | 16.4% | 6.7% | 8.0% |
| 2018 | 68.3% | 16.7% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2017 | 67.6% | 17.4% | 6.9% | 7.9% |
| 2016 | 67.9% | 17.6% | 6.5% | 7.7% |
| 2015 | 67.8% | 18.0% | 6.6% | 7.3% |
| 2014 | 67.4% | 17.5% | 7.2% | 7.7% |
| 2013 | 68.1% | 17.2% | 7.2% | 7.4% |
| 2012 | 68.4% | 16.9% | 7.2% | 7.5% |
| 2011 | 68.9% | 15.9% | 7.6% | 7.5% |
| 2010 | 68.1% | 15.9% | 8.2% | 7.7% |
Employment Sector FAQs for Whatcom County, Washington
The largest employment sector in Whatcom County, Washington is Private For-Profit, which employs 67.6% of the local workforce.
There are approximately 115,468 civilian workers aged 16 and over currently employed in Whatcom County, Washington.
In the private for-profit sector, the male-to-female ratio is 1.29:1. This metric helps highlight gender participation across the most prominent industry classes.
Since 2010, the total number of workers in Whatcom County, Washington has shown an increase, moving from 94,761 to 115,468 according to Census Bureau records.