MOSES LAKE - Nonfarm employment in the county has finally returned to pre-recession levels, according to the latest Employment Security Department report.

Grant County's nonfarm labor market peaked at 26,980 jobs in 2007, Regional Labor Economist Don Meseck said. However, job losses occurred in the county in 2008, 2009 and 2010, as a result of the national recession, he said.

According to data, nonfarm employment reached its lowest point in 2010 when the county tallied 25,470 nonfarm jobs.

Meseck said the county began to see an increase in nonfarm employment in 2011 and 2012, but it wasn't enough to bring employment back to its 2007 level.

"That was one of the questions, 2008, 2009 and 2010 were dismal years- the county lost jobs on an annual average those three years," he said. "We saw it come back in 2011 and 2012 and were wondering if in 2013 we would add enough to get us back to that 2007 level."

Meseck said the short answer is yes.

Nonfarm employment in 2013 averaged 27,150 jobs- 170 jobs above the 2007 peak of 26,980, according to the data.

"It's good news for the local economy," he said. "It's been a slow, steady recovery."

At the state level, nonfarm employment has not returned to pre-recession levels. Nonfarm employment peaked at 2,961,600 jobs in 2008, he said.

The state's nonfarm labor market tallied 2,934,300 jobs last year.

"In 2013, we were close, but the state has not yet returned to that 2008 level," Meseck said.

The 27,150 nonfarm jobs tallied in 2013 represents a 700 job and 2.6 percent upturn from the 26,450 jobs tallied in 2012, according to data.

Three industries in particular accounted for nearly three quarters of the job gain last year, said Meseck.

Professional and business services, which includes legal offices, accounting firms and private security companies, saw a 15.2 percent increase in the number of jobs tallied between 2012 and 2013.

On an annual average basis, the category increased from 1,250 jobs in 2012 to 1,440 jobs in 2013.

Meseck said the professional and business services employment category is one he likes to pay attention to because it also includes temporary job placement agencies.

"One of the keys, especially in Grant County is the temp agencies," he said. "It's helpful to look at that because it's a good sign many business are hiring."

The jobs that get filled through temp agencies are counted under the professional and business services employment category, regardless of whether the job is in food processing, manufacturing or another industry, said Meseck.

Leisure and hospitality, which primarily covers hotel and restaurant jobs, increased by 9.1 percent between 2012 and 2013. There were 2,310 full and part time jobs in 2012 and 2,520 jobs in 2013, according to data.

State and local government education provided 210 more jobs in 2013 than in 2012, accounting for a 6.6 percent increase. The category tallied 3,400 jobs in 2013 and 3,190 in 2012.

Meseck added that nonfarm employment for the county has been showing year-over-year gains for 15 consecutive months, from October 2012 to last December. On the state level, nonfarm employment has been growing for 39 consecutive months, he said.