The unemployment rates in Washington and Oregon dipped a tenth of a percentage point in August, another sign of Cascadia's robust economy.
In Washington the unemployment rate fell to 5.2 percent and in Oregon to 5.5 percent. Last week British Columbia reported that its rate fell to 4.7 percent -- near a 30-year low.
The job market, which is stronger here than in the whole of either country, is likely one reason for tight real estate markets across the region. Yet the picture varied depending on location. In Washington, the Seattle area's rate fell to 3.9 percent, down from 4.2 percent in July. But Ferry county's rate was 8.8 percent.