Economic forecasts,
for the greater Seattle area.
Consider us your research center, providing you answers in easy to understand language and charts.
Established in 1993, The Puget Sound Economic Forecaster is a quarterly report published by the Center for Economic and Business Research at Western Washington University which acquired the publication in 2017 from its founders, Conway Pedersen Economics, Inc.
The report and website are designed for business executives, marketing directors, investors, government managers, and researchers who need a professional and objective view on the economic prospects for the Puget Sound region (King County, Kitsap County, Pierce County, and Snohomish County).
Our goal is to provide accurate and well-reasoned forecasts for the region as well as clear and insightful observations on important developments in the economy.
In-Depth Regional Economic Outlook
The first issue of the
Puget Sound Economic Forecaster,
a quarterly report,
was published in December 1993.
Each report contains a summary forecast, in-depth discussion of the regional outlook, forecasts and analyses of retail sales and construction and real estate, a special topic (e.g., China and Population Change), a detailed forecast table, and the Puget Sound Index of Leading Economic Indicators.
To facilitate research and analysis on the regional economy, every issue of the regional economic report is archived as a downloadable PDF file in the Subscriber Area. A comprehensive Subject Index of the archived reports has been developed to aid in the retrieval of information.
Reports are posted to the web site one to two weeks before the printed copy is mailed.
Sample Report – Data, Trade and Trends [Volume 27, Number 2, June 2019]
With thoughts of the long warm days of summer on our minds, we have found ourselves interrupted pondering about the price of avocados and how the latest round of tariff threats that may impact retail sales and the general economy overall. Thoughts of spending time at the lake or river have found us considering stream flows and how the change in our climate may impact all of the people and businesses that rely on water in one way or another. Daydreams of patio and deck BBQs have caused us to reflect on changes in house prices and the sudden growth in sales outside of the King County – is it more commuters or are jobs moving? Will the Seattle to Everett corridor retain its worst traffic in the nation ranking? Evidently, economists are bad at not thinking about things. All of the above is ahead in this edition of the Forecaster plus a better understanding of workforce participation and the state forecast. We will just call it the beach edition.
Additional Features
In addition to the Quarterly Report,
we regularly publish
Additional Feature Reports
Breaking News
What We Are Following in the News
Equities rose to record highs last week as strong AI-related firm performance and reports of a peace deal in Iran increased investor optimism. The reports of a peace deal also sent bond yields and oil price lower despite skirmishes between the United States and Iran throughout the week. AI optimism drove corporate profits higher during the first quarter 2026, as chip firms’ earnings continue to hit records. Although markets have remained resilient, pockets of weakness in economic data have persisted. Nominal consumer spending increased 0.5% in April, but almost the entirety of the increase was due to prices; real consumer spending rose just 0.1%. Nominal personal income was flat in April, but real disposable personal income fell 0.5%. The personal savings rate fell to 2.6%, the lowest since June 2022. Altogether, personal income and outlays show consumers are feeling the weight of higher inflation and adjusting their spending in response. First quarter real GDP was revised down from an annualized 2.0% to 1.6%, driven lower by downward revisions to consumer spending on services and business investment in intellectual property products. Consumer confidence edged down due to expectations of higher prices and lower incomes resulting from the war in Iran. @ Chmura Economics & Analytics
Grocery Shoppers Are In For a Summer of Pain. The Iran war’s effects will keep rippling through the supply chain, even if it ends. Experts believe food prices will get worse due to factors including the war in the Middle East, tariffs, and weather. The latest consumer price index report shows "food at home" was up 0.7% in April compared with March, and 2.9% higher than in April 2025, with increases in prices of beef, fruits, and vegetables. Rising food prices are causing consumers to make difficult choices, including switching to private-label options, wasting less food, and in some cases, deciding who gets to eat or whether to buy food or medicine. https://buff.ly/h5yj9Xe
The U.S. is facing a steep healthcare worker shortage, with one federal analysis projecting that by 2038, 30 out of 35 physician specialties will be hurting for practitioners, with over 140,000 roles left unfilled. And for nurses, that shortage is projected to be over 108,000. https://buff.ly/d1l3jWS
Questions? We Love Questions!
We receive a wide-range of questions every day and would love to hear yours. Questions lead to data and data should lead to better questions.
Special Topics
Special topics in each report
intended to increase the
reader’s understanding of
how the Puget Sound economy works
Past topics include regional growth, labor productivity, demographic trends, inflation, multipliers, entrepreneurs, and state and local taxes.
Web site subscribers currently have access to more than fifty special topics. Here are four examples drawn from the Special Topic Archive:
Stream Flow [Volume 27, Number 2, June 2019]
Is Traffic Real? [Volume 27, Number 1, March 2019]
Labor Force and Population [Volume 26, Number 4, December 2018]
Forest Fires [Volume 26, Number 3, September 2018]
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