Washington Business Ranking Falls to 11th as Puget Sound Loses 7,000 Jobs
Updated
Updated · MyNorthwest · Sep 14
Washington Business Ranking Falls to 11th as Puget Sound Loses 7,000 Jobs
3 articles · Updated · MyNorthwest · Sep 14
Summary
Washington fell to 11th in business ranking from 1st since 2017, while the central Puget Sound region shed nearly 7,000 jobs in 2025, according to a new Challenge Seattle report.
The report ties the slide to faster tax changes, higher operating and compliance costs, expensive housing and childcare, and what it called a less welcoming business climate.
Challenge Seattle said the region’s job growth trailed the nation for the first time in two decades, and Washington’s cost-of-doing-business ranking dropped to 47th from 32nd.
Its proposed response includes a unified regional economic strategy, business concierge services in every city, clearer permit timelines, a more predictable tax approach, and stronger college-to-work talent pipelines.
The findings land days after 35 major Seattle business leaders urged Mayor Katie Wilson and the City Council to act on public safety, underscoring broader concern over the region’s competitiveness.