Jay’s Rate is 5.2

Ray Cooney – Managing Editor

The Commercial Review

Unemployment ticked up in December, marking the third straight month in which the rate has increased.

According to Indiana Department of Workforce Development estimates released Wednesday, Jay County’s unemployment rate closed 2014 at 5.2 percent. It has climbed nearly a full point since dropping to a seven-year low in September.

The rate in Jay County had dipped all the way to 4.3 percent in September, the lowest number since December 2007. It was below 5 percent for three straight months before hitting 5.1 percent in November.

Stability was the general trend across the state, as Indiana’s unemployment rate was unchanged from the November number of 5.8 percent. In the six-county region, two rates went up, two went down and two stayed the same.

IDWD commissioner Steve J. Braun continued to emphasize the state’s overall growth since 2009, noting that it led the nation in manufacturing job growing last year by adding 25,500 jobs.

“Indiana’s labor force growth over the past year has been extraordinary,” he said. “Since December 2013, the Hoosier labor force has grown by more than 83,000 individuals, which is nearly twice that of any other Midwestern state.”

Adams County continued to have the lowest rate in the area at 4.8 percent. Delaware County’s rate dropped by 0.1 percentage points, but was still highest in the area at 6.6 percent.

Dubois and Hamilton counties led the state with unemployment rates of 4.1 percent, and Lake County had the highest mark of 8.2 percent.

Individual area unemployment rates are as follows:

Adams County: 5.0 percent, no change, t-19th lowest.
Blackford County: 6.1 percent, down 0.2 percentage points, t-29th highest.
Delaware County: 6.6 percent, down 0.1 percentage points, t-17th highest.
Jay County: 5.2 percent, up 0.1 percentage points, t-31st lowest.
Randolph County: 6.2 percent, up 0.3 percentage points, t-27th highest.
Wells County: 4.8 percent, no change, t-10th lowest.