Indiana’s unemployment rate stands at 3.4 percent for July and remains lower than the national rate of 3.9 percent. With the exception of one month when it was equal (October 2014), Indiana’s unemployment rate now has been below the U.S. rate for more than four years. The monthly unemployment rate reflects the number of unemployed people seeking employment within the prior four weeks as a percentage of the labor force.
Marshall County, ranked 59th had a July 2018 rate of 3.2, a slight increase from the May unemployment rate of 3.0 but better than the June rate of 3.4. Looking back over the past couple of years you will find the Marshall County rate at 3.6 in 2016, 3.9 in 2015 and 5.2 in 2014.
Taking a look at counties surrounding Marshall you will find Starke County holding steady with a rate of 4.3, the same as June.
Fulton County saw a slight increase from their June rate of 3.5 to end July with a rate of 3.3 ranking them 52nd of the 92 counties.
Pulaski County sits right between Marshall and Fulton Counties with a rate of 3.3 ranking them 55th. Their rate shows the slightest improvement from their June rate of 3.4.
St. Joseph County’s rate have been 3.3 in May, 3.8 in June and now in July a 3.7 ranking them 35th on the list of counties.
Kosciusko County is starting to creep up the list of counties and while they were 85th on the list of counties with a rate of 2.6 in June they are 81st in July with a rate of 2.8. Not too many years ago Elkhart County was number one on the list of counties for their high unemployment rate. In July 2018 they are now at the bottom of the list with the best unemployment rate, a 2.6.
Indiana’s labor force had a net increase of 15,564 over the previous month. This was a result of a 2,964 increase in unemployed residents and an increase of 12,600 employed residents. Indiana’s total labor force, which includes both Hoosiers employed and those seeking employment, stands at 3.38 million, and the state’s 64.8 percent labor force participation rate remains above the national rate of 62.9 percent. Indiana’s labor force growth of 67,519 over the past six months represents the state’s largest six-month increase since 1995 in the state.
In addition, Indiana’s initial unemployment insurance claims continue to be at historical lows.
