Jobs & Economy in Vancouver
Vancouver's economy runs on a real, healthcare- and education-anchored employer base -- PeaceHealth is the city's single largest employer, followed by Vancouver and Evergreen Public Schools, Vancouver Clinic, and the ilani tribal casino resort -- a genuinely different economic identity from the tech-driven Puget Sound markets in this dataset.
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Learn morePeaceHealth: Vancouver's top employer
PeaceHealth, a regional nonprofit healthcare system, employs 4,415 people in Vancouver per the Columbia River Economic Development Council's own employer data -- the city's single largest employer, reflecting healthcare and social assistance as Vancouver's largest employment sector overall.
Public education and healthcare round out the top employers
Vancouver Public Schools (3,178 employees) and Evergreen Public Schools (2,698 employees) rank as Vancouver's 2nd- and 3rd-largest employers, with Vancouver Clinic (1,526) and Kaiser Permanente (1,088) adding further healthcare-sector depth. The ilani tribal casino resort (1,500 employees) is a real, distinct hospitality/entertainment anchor.
Federal, manufacturing, and technology employment round out the base
The Bonneville Power Administration (1,124 employees) and City of Vancouver (1,091) provide public-sector depth, while HP (1,050) and semiconductor-wafer manufacturer SEH America (1,050) provide real, if modest relative to PeaceHealth, technology and advanced-manufacturing employment.
The Oregon commute as a real, additional job-market dimension
Beyond Vancouver's own employer base, a substantial share of residents commute daily to Portland-area jobs -- an estimated 65,000-80,000 people cross the Columbia River daily, meaning Vancouver's practical job market functionally extends into the broader Portland metro economy for many residents, even though this record's employer figures above describe Vancouver-based employers specifically.
Key takeaways
- PeaceHealth (4,415 employees) is Vancouver's single largest employer; healthcare/social assistance is the city's largest employment sector overall.
- Vancouver and Evergreen Public Schools, Vancouver Clinic, and the ilani casino resort round out a real, non-tech-anchored top-employer list.
- The Bonneville Power Administration, City of Vancouver, HP, and SEH America add federal, public-sector, and advanced-manufacturing depth.
- An estimated 65,000-80,000 Vancouver-area residents commute daily to Portland, extending the practical job market beyond Vancouver's own employer base.
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