From 1980 to 2008, the number of employed in Washington grew from 1.83 million to 3.29 million, an average annual growth rate of 2.1 percent.

Between 2008 and 2030, the number of employed persons is expected to increase by 720,000. Employment in the state is expected to increase from 3.3 million in 2008 to 4.0 million by 2030.

Total Employed in Washington

Source: Table 3-1 Washington Labor Force and Employment, Office of Financial Management; some forecast calculations done by WSDOT based on OFM data.