NextChapter

Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the Pacific Northwest

King County has the highest share of white-collar workers in the Pacific Northwest: 58% of its workers are in management, business, financial or professional occupations, against 38% in the typical large county.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census data.

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Key facts

  • #1 King County, WA: 58%
  • #2 Whitman County, WA: 52%
  • #3 Multnomah County, OR: 51%
  • 43 counties ranked in the Pacific Northwest
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 38% across the typical large county.

  1. 1King County WA58%
  2. 2Whitman County WA52%
  3. 3Multnomah County OR51%
  4. 4Benton County OR51%
  5. 5Washington County OR50%
  6. 6Deschutes County OR45%
  7. 7Thurston County WA45%
  8. 8Snohomish County WA45%
  9. 9Clackamas County OR44%
  10. 10Kitsap County WA43%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: King County leads on 58%, and #10 Kitsap County is at 43%.
  • Whitman County reaches #2 on a sample of 21,492 people in the labor force, 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 1,373,697 people in the labor force behind its figure.
  • Counties with fewer than 20,000 people in the labor force are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

The share of working people in management, business, financial and professional occupations shows where the economy is built around professional work.

How to use it

If your work is professional, counties near the top have more peers, more employers who hire for it, and more local networks.

The top 25

  1. 1

    King County WA

    58%

    Median household income
    $122,148
    People in the labor force
    1,373,697
    Unemployment
    4.8%

    Based on 1,373,697 people in the labor force.

    King County job market

  2. 2

    Whitman County WA

    52%

    Median household income
    $52,893
    People in the labor force
    21,492
    Unemployment
    3.4%

    Based on 21,492 people in the labor force.

    Whitman County job market

  3. 3

    Multnomah County OR

    51%

    Median household income
    $86,247
    People in the labor force
    469,250
    Unemployment
    4.3%

    Based on 469,250 people in the labor force.

    Multnomah County job market

  4. 4

    Benton County OR

    51%

    Median household income
    $76,011
    People in the labor force
    49,221
    Unemployment
    3.9%

    Based on 49,221 people in the labor force.

    Benton County job market

  5. 5

    Washington County OR

    50%

    Median household income
    $104,434
    People in the labor force
    345,574
    Unemployment
    4.1%

    Based on 345,574 people in the labor force.

    Washington County job market

  6. 6

    Deschutes County OR

    45%

    Median household income
    $87,640
    People in the labor force
    111,956
    Unemployment
    3.9%

    Based on 111,956 people in the labor force.

    Deschutes County job market

  7. 7

    Thurston County WA

    45%

    Median household income
    $93,985
    People in the labor force
    144,060
    Unemployment
    3.4%

    Based on 144,060 people in the labor force.

    Thurston County job market

  8. 8

    Snohomish County WA

    45%

    Median household income
    $107,982
    People in the labor force
    466,879
    Unemployment
    4.9%

    Based on 466,879 people in the labor force.

    Snohomish County job market

  9. 9

    Clackamas County OR

    44%

    Median household income
    $100,360
    People in the labor force
    227,400
    Unemployment
    4.1%

    Based on 227,400 people in the labor force.

    Clackamas County job market

  10. 10

    Kitsap County WA

    43%

    Median household income
    $98,546
    People in the labor force
    120,336
    Unemployment
    3.5%

    Based on 120,336 people in the labor force.

    Kitsap County job market

  11. 11

    Benton County WA

    42%

    Median household income
    $87,316
    People in the labor force
    105,654
    Unemployment
    3.5%

    Based on 105,654 people in the labor force.

    Benton County job market

  12. 12

    Whatcom County WA

    41%

    Median household income
    $80,989
    People in the labor force
    113,440
    Unemployment
    3.5%

    Based on 113,440 people in the labor force.

    Whatcom County job market

  13. 13

    Clark County WA

    41%

    Median household income
    $94,948
    People in the labor force
    253,367
    Unemployment
    3.6%

    Based on 253,367 people in the labor force.

    Clark County job market

  14. 14

    Island County WA

    40%

    Median household income
    $88,358
    People in the labor force
    35,421
    Unemployment
    3.4%

    Based on 35,421 people in the labor force.

    Island County job market

  15. 15

    Spokane County WA

    40%

    Median household income
    $73,513
    People in the labor force
    261,925
    Unemployment
    3.2%

    Based on 261,925 people in the labor force.

    Spokane County job market

  16. 16

    Lane County OR

    39%

    Median household income
    $69,311
    People in the labor force
    188,288
    Unemployment
    4.4%

    Based on 188,288 people in the labor force.

    Lane County job market

  17. 17

    Jackson County OR

    39%

    Median household income
    $71,443
    People in the labor force
    109,826
    Unemployment
    4.7%

    Based on 109,826 people in the labor force.

    Jackson County job market

  18. 18

    Polk County OR

    39%

    Median household income
    $81,318
    People in the labor force
    47,883
    Unemployment
    4.0%

    Based on 47,883 people in the labor force.

    Polk County job market

  19. 19

    Pierce County WA

    38%

    Median household income
    $96,632
    People in the labor force
    499,802
    Unemployment
    5.1%

    Based on 499,802 people in the labor force.

    Pierce County job market

  20. 20

    Kittitas County WA

    38%

    Median household income
    $69,928
    People in the labor force
    22,251
    Unemployment
    3.7%

    Based on 22,251 people in the labor force.

    Kittitas County job market

  21. 21

    Clallam County WA

    37%

    Median household income
    $67,999
    People in the labor force
    30,531
    Unemployment
    3.4%

    Based on 30,531 people in the labor force.

    Clallam County job market

  22. 22

    Walla Walla County WA

    37%

    Median household income
    $72,212
    People in the labor force
    29,289
    Unemployment
    3.2%

    Based on 29,289 people in the labor force.

    Walla Walla County job market

  23. 23

    Klamath County OR

    37%

    Median household income
    $59,353
    People in the labor force
    29,957
    Unemployment
    5.5%

    Based on 29,957 people in the labor force.

    Klamath County job market

  24. 24

    Skagit County WA

    36%

    Median household income
    $85,474
    People in the labor force
    60,255
    Unemployment
    3.7%

    Based on 60,255 people in the labor force.

    Skagit County job market

  25. 25

    Chelan County WA

    36%

    Median household income
    $78,306
    People in the labor force
    42,163
    Unemployment
    3.1%

    Based on 42,163 people in the labor force.

    Chelan County job market

Full ranking

All 43 counties that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCountyScoreSample
1King County WA58%1,373,697
2Whitman County WA52%21,492
3Multnomah County OR51%469,250
4Benton County OR51%49,221
5Washington County OR50%345,574
6Deschutes County OR45%111,956
7Thurston County WA45%144,060
8Snohomish County WA45%466,879
9Clackamas County OR44%227,400
10Kitsap County WA43%120,336
11Benton County WA42%105,654
12Whatcom County WA41%113,440
13Clark County WA41%253,367
14Island County WA40%35,421
15Spokane County WA40%261,925
16Lane County OR39%188,288
17Jackson County OR39%109,826
18Polk County OR39%47,883
19Pierce County WA38%499,802
20Kittitas County WA38%22,251
21Clallam County WA37%30,531
22Walla Walla County WA37%29,289
23Klamath County OR37%29,957
24Skagit County WA36%60,255
25Chelan County WA36%42,163
26Mason County WA36%25,072
27Yamhill County OR36%57,103
28Marion County OR35%187,060
29Josephine County OR34%35,480
30Linn County OR34%62,850
31Lincoln County OR34%21,259
32Clatsop County OR33%20,406
33Franklin County WA33%47,126
34Lewis County WA33%33,964
35Coos County OR32%26,940
36Douglas County OR31%46,914
37Columbia County OR31%26,694
38Grant County WA31%47,249
39Cowlitz County WA30%46,732
40Grays Harbor County WA30%29,423
41Umatilla County OR29%37,926
42Yakima County WA28%129,429
43Douglas County WA28%20,670

How this ranking works

A county's score is the share of its employed residents in management, business, financial and professional occupations, from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Only counties with at least 20,000 people in the labor force are ranked. The figure describes where residents work by occupation, not where their employers are.

Sample bar: counties with fewer than 20,000 people in the labor force are not ranked.

Sources: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (occupation by county). 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 highest share of white-collar workers in the pacific northwest?
King County has the highest share of white-collar workers in the Pacific Northwest: 58% of its workers are in management, business, financial or professional occupations, against 38% in the typical large county.
How many counties are ranked?
43 counties have at least 20,000 people in the labor force, so the list has 43 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A county's score is the share of its employed residents in management, business, financial and professional occupations, from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Only counties with at least 20,000 people in the labor force are ranked. The figure describes where residents work by occupation, not where their employers are.
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 highest share of white-collar workers in the Pacific Northwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-white-collar-workers-in-the-pacific-northwest

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-white-collar-workers-in-the-pacific-northwest">Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the Pacific Northwest (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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