NextChapter

Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Pacific Northwest

King County has the largest share of jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Pacific Northwest: 37% of its private-sector jobs, against 15% in the typical large county.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census data.

Question 1

Where are you right now?

Why we ask: a laid-off week and a thinking-about-a-move week look nothing alike. No résumé, no account.

Get new professional jobs by email

We’ll email you when new matches are posted. No account needed.

Key facts

  • #1 King County, WA: 37%
  • #2 Benton County, WA: 28%
  • #3 Multnomah County, OR: 25%
  • 30 counties ranked in the Pacific Northwest
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 15% across all large counties.

  1. 1King County WA37%
  2. 2Benton County WA28%
  3. 3Multnomah County OR25%
  4. 4Washington County OR22%
  5. 5Clark County WA22%
  6. 6Thurston County WA22%
  7. 7Kitsap County WA20%
  8. 8Spokane County WA19%
  9. 9Clackamas County OR19%
  10. 10Deschutes County OR18%

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: King County (37%) is well clear of Deschutes County at #10 (18%).
  • Kitsap County reaches #7 on a sample of 59,140 jobs, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • King County is the largest market in the top ten, with 1,255,504 jobs behind its figure.
  • Counties with fewer than 20,000 jobs are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Some local economies rely on sectors whose tasks AI can do in principle. The share of private-sector jobs in those sectors shows how exposed a county's job base is.

How to use it

Use it as a prompt to look at which skills your own work depends on. Exposure describes tasks AI could do, not jobs that will disappear.

The top 25

  1. 1

    King County WA

    37%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    1,255,504
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (12% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −2.2%

    Based on 1,255,504 jobs.

    King County job market

  2. 2

    Benton County WA

    28%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    86,994
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (13% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +5.9%

    Based on 86,994 jobs.

    Benton County job market

  3. 3

    Multnomah County OR

    25%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    415,659
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (9% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −2.8%

    Based on 415,659 jobs.

    Multnomah County job market

  4. 4

    Washington County OR

    22%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    277,540
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (7% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −1.6%

    Based on 277,540 jobs.

    Washington County job market

  5. 5

    Clark County WA

    22%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    154,948
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (7% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +3.3%

    Based on 154,948 jobs.

    Clark County job market

  6. 6

    Thurston County WA

    22%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    85,964
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (8% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.4%

    Based on 85,964 jobs.

    Thurston County job market

  7. 7

    Kitsap County WA

    20%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    59,140
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (9% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +0.1%

    Based on 59,140 jobs.

    Kitsap County job market

  8. 8

    Spokane County WA

    19%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    206,384
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (6% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.6%

    Based on 206,384 jobs.

    Spokane County job market

  9. 9

    Clackamas County OR

    19%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    157,803
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (7% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.7%

    Based on 157,803 jobs.

    Clackamas County job market

  10. 10

    Deschutes County OR

    18%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    83,459
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (7% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +5.3%

    Based on 83,459 jobs.

    Deschutes County job market

  11. 11

    Pierce County WA

    18%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    276,587
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (9% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +3.3%

    Based on 276,587 jobs.

    Pierce County job market

  12. 12

    Snohomish County WA

    17%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    257,388
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (6% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +4.6%

    Based on 257,388 jobs.

    Snohomish County job market

  13. 13

    Lane County OR

    17%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    130,846
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (5% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −0.1%

    Based on 130,846 jobs.

    Lane County job market

  14. 14

    Whatcom County WA

    16%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    78,177
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (6% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +0.8%

    Based on 78,177 jobs.

    Whatcom County job market

  15. 15

    Marion County OR

    16%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    136,757
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (7% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +7.7%

    Based on 136,757 jobs.

    Marion County job market

  16. 16

    Douglas County OR

    13%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    30,893
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (5% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −1.3%

    Based on 30,893 jobs.

    Douglas County job market

  17. 17

    Jackson County OR

    13%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    80,868
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (4% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.9%

    Based on 80,868 jobs.

    Jackson County job market

  18. 18

    Skagit County WA

    12%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    41,382
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (5% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +3.6%

    Based on 41,382 jobs.

    Skagit County job market

  19. 19

    Benton County OR

    12%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    28,490
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (8% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +0.7%

    Based on 28,490 jobs.

    Benton County job market

  20. 20

    Grant County WA

    11%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    33,446
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (5% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −0.0%

    Based on 33,446 jobs.

    Grant County job market

  21. 21

    Umatilla County OR

    11%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    25,391
    Largest exposed sector
    Information (4% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.8%

    Based on 25,391 jobs.

    Umatilla County job market

  22. 22

    Linn County OR

    10%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    41,938
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (4% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −1.5%

    Based on 41,938 jobs.

    Linn County job market

  23. 23

    Yamhill County OR

    10%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    35,609
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (3% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +5.7%

    Based on 35,609 jobs.

    Yamhill County job market

  24. 24

    Josephine County OR

    10%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    27,417
    Largest exposed sector
    Finance & insurance (3% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.8%

    Based on 27,417 jobs.

    Josephine County job market

  25. 25

    Lewis County WA

    9%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    22,568
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (4% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.6%

    Based on 22,568 jobs.

    Lewis County job market

Full ranking

All 30 counties that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCountyScoreSample
1King County WA37%1,255,504
2Benton County WA28%86,994
3Multnomah County OR25%415,659
4Washington County OR22%277,540
5Clark County WA22%154,948
6Thurston County WA22%85,964
7Kitsap County WA20%59,140
8Spokane County WA19%206,384
9Clackamas County OR19%157,803
10Deschutes County OR18%83,459
11Pierce County WA18%276,587
12Snohomish County WA17%257,388
13Lane County OR17%130,846
14Whatcom County WA16%78,177
15Marion County OR16%136,757
16Douglas County OR13%30,893
17Jackson County OR13%80,868
18Skagit County WA12%41,382
19Benton County OR12%28,490
20Grant County WA11%33,446
21Umatilla County OR11%25,391
22Linn County OR10%41,938
23Yamhill County OR10%35,609
24Josephine County OR10%27,417
25Lewis County WA9%22,568
26Chelan County WA9%37,494
27Franklin County WA8%30,969
28Cowlitz County WA7%34,461
29Yakima County WA7%97,163
30Walla Walla County WA4%22,093

How this ranking works

A county's score is the share of its private-sector jobs in the sectors where much of the work is information handling that AI can already do in part: Information, Finance and insurance, Professional and technical services, Management of companies, and Administrative and staffing services. Jobs come from BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025.

Exposure describes the mix of a local economy, not a forecast of lost jobs. Only counties with at least 20,000 private-sector jobs in 2022 are ranked.

Sample bar: counties with fewer than 20,000 jobs are not ranked.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 (private-sector jobs by sector). Data as of November 2026.

Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.

Questions

Which county ranks first: counties with the most jobs in ai-exposed sectors in the pacific northwest?
King County has the largest share of jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Pacific Northwest: 37% of its private-sector jobs, against 15% in the typical large county.
How many counties are ranked?
30 counties have at least 20,000 jobs, so the list has 30 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A county's score is the share of its private-sector jobs in the sectors where much of the work is information handling that AI can already do in part: Information, Finance and insurance, Professional and technical services, Management of companies, and Administrative and staffing services. Jobs come from BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025. Exposure describes the mix of a local economy, not a forecast of lost jobs. Only counties with at least 20,000 private-sector jobs in 2022 are ranked.
How often is it updated?
Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.

More rankings

Cite this ranking

NextChapter, “Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Pacific Northwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-ai-exposed-jobs-in-the-pacific-northwest

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-ai-exposed-jobs-in-the-pacific-northwest">Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Pacific Northwest (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.

The job market, once a week

One email every Tuesday with the week's most useful read on the job market and the search, plus occasional news from NextChapter. No account needed. Unsubscribe any time.

Run a workforce board, job center or economic development office, or hire in the places and industries on this list?

Leave your work email. We'll send how organizations use NextChapter to reach job seekers.

See how organizations use it