Total employment in the Spokane-Spokane Valley Metropolitan Statistical Area ticked upward by 1,700 jobs in January, compared with the year-earlier month, according to the latest preliminary figures released by the Washington state Employment Security Department.

The data shows a total of 273,000 jobs in the MSA last month, up from 271,300 jobs in January 2023.

However, compared with December, the MSA, which includes Spokane, Stevens, and Pend Oreille Counties, was down about 4,700 jobs.

The unemployment rate in the MSA came it at 6% in January, up from 5.4% in the year-earlier month and 5.2% in December.