Indiana Unemployment Reaches 4.1%, SEI Rates Remain Steady

By Travis Thayer (Indianapolis, Ind.) – Indiana’s unemployment rate has remained largely unchanged from last month. According to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, the state’s jobless rate increased one-tenth of a percent to 4.1 in February, which is well below the national rate of 4.7 percent. Locally, unemployment rates ranged from 4.8 percent in Franklin County to 5.4 percent in Switzerland County. All five southeastern Indiana counties saw their jobless rate decrease from the same time last year. Indiana’s labor force grew by nearly 8,000 last month, bringing the total labor force to over 3.3 million. The state’s 64.4 percent labor force participation rate remains above the national rate of 63 percent. “Gains in Indiana’s labor force participation rate are encouraging and further growth is needed to ensure Indiana reaches its workforce potential as a state,” said Steven J. Braun, Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. “There are thousands of good paying jobs currently available throughout Indiana. I encourage unemployed and underemployed Hoosiers to visit their local WorkOne Career Center to learn more about training programs and job opportunities in their local community.” Commissioner Braun also noted private sector employment has grown by more than 33,000 this year. The biggest gains in the private sector came in the Manufacturing and Trade, Transportation and Utilities sectors. Southeast Indiana Unemployment Figures  COUNTY FEB. 2017 JAN. 2017 FEB. 2016  Dearborn  5.0%  5.2%  5.5%  Franklin  4.8%  5.0%  5.8%  Ohio  5.0%  4.7%  5.8%  Ripley  5.0%  5.1%  6.1%  Switzerland  5.4%  5.3%  5.7%  Indiana (seasonally adjusted)  4.7%  4.7%  5.7%    Source: Indiana Department of Workforce Development