But the 5 percent unemployment rate is also thanks to Seattle's booming job market and a large number of people willing to commute to their jobs. Roughly 16,200 workers, or just more than 18 percent of Kitsap County's employed work force, commuted out of the county to get to work in 1999, according to figures from the state Employment Security Department. The figure isn't a lot different from recent years. Tess Caballero, manager at the Bremerton employment agency Express Personnel Services, said she sees a number of locals taking jobs in Seattle and commuting there by ferry.
Money drives some people to start commuting.
There are just so many more jobs in Seattle. I think it's an employees' market. But the hours just kill them. I know people would much rather stay here, but they're just not going to make the money.