The state of Washington is home to some of America’s most recognizable companies. Costco, Nordstrom and Starbucks are all headquartered in Washington, and Boeing was founded in Seattle. The technology sector has been a leader in the creation of Washington jobs and revenue. Amazon.com, Microsoft and Nintendo of America are all based in The Evergreen State. Washington is rich in natural resources as well. Forestry has long been a primary employer; the Weyerhaeuser pulp and paper company is based in Federal Way, WA. Agriculture and food processing are also leading sources of jobs in Washington State. Wine, red raspberries, apples and pears are major exports.

Transportation, distribution and international trade are principal sources of Seattle jobs. Washington’s largest city is well positioned for trade with Asia and Canada, and the Port of Seattle is thus one of the nation’s busiest in terms of container traffic. Education, healthcare and manufacturing are major sectors for Spokane jobs. There are also nearly a dozen military installations in Spokane County. The port city of Tacoma is Washington’s third most populous city. The Fort Lewis Army Post is the largest single source of Tacoma jobs, but the manufacturing, petroleum, healthcare and retail sectors are all significant employers.