3,500 Washington manufacturing jobs disappeared in 2025, a roughly 1% drop, while Spokane County’s factory workforce fell 1.4% despite Trump administration tariffs aimed at supporting U.S. industry.
Most major state industries cut workers—food and beverage, wood products, fabricated metals, machinery and electronics—with transportation equipment, led by aerospace, the main large-sector exception after adding a few hundred jobs.
Spokane’s decline was broader: all four manufacturing industries with more than 1,000 workers posted losses, while total county employment still edged up 0.3%, matching the statewide gain and showing manufacturing lagged the wider economy.
Longer term, the data also challenge Washington’s 2020 goal of doubling manufacturing jobs by 2031: statewide factory employment was flat from 2020 to 2025, even as manufacturing output rose 1.4% through 2024.
The report argues automation and the state’s industry mix limit tariff benefits—early protections mainly cover sectors like steel, copper and autos that are scarce in Washington—while factors such as Boeing’s recovery may matter more for future hiring.