Rate lowest since 2008

After consistently falling during the second half of 2013, unemployment numbers increased slightly in January and February. But Jay County headed back in the right direction in March.
Unemployment numbers for Jay County plummeted last month according to estimates the Indiana Department of Workforce Development released this morning, 0.7 percentage points from February to 5.4 percent. That is the lowest mark for the county in nearly six years.
The drop in Jay County mirrored the trend across the state as Indiana’s rate dipped to 5.9 percent. Four of the five counties contiguous to Jay also saw their rates fall by 0.7 percentage points or more, with Wells County barely missing a spot in the state’s top 10.
Unemployment in Jay County hit a five-year low in December when it dropped to 5.8 percent. But it ticked back to 6 percent in January and then 6.1 percent in February.
The trend turned back in March, and the 5.4 percent rate marks a drop of 3.1 percentage points since February 2013. It is the lowest rate the county has seen since it was at 5.3 percent in June 2008.
Wells County has the best rate in the six-county area at 5.2 percent, which is 11th best in the state. Randolph County saw a drop of 1.1 percentage points.
Hamilton County topped the state for the third straight month with an unemployment rate of 4.3 percent. Vermillion County continued to be the worst by a wide margin at 9.8 percent, 1.2 percentage points worse than any other county.
According to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Indiana’s labor force grew by more than 25,000 in the first quarter of the year.
Indiana led the nation in manufacturing job growth over that period.
For the first time in more than a year Jay County moved ahead of Adams County and is second best in the six-county area and tied for 18th best in the state.
Individual area unemployment rates are as follows:
Adams County: 5.7 percent, down 0.3 percentage points, t-26th lowest
Blackford County: 6.8 percent, down 0.7 percentage points, t-34th highest
Delaware County: 7.1 percent, down 0.7 percentage points, t-22nd highest.
Jay County: 5.4 percent, down 0.7 percentage points, t-18th lowest.
Randolph County: 7.0 percent, down 1.1 percentage points, t-29th highest.
Wells County: 5.2 percent, down 0.8 percentage points, t-11th best.[[In-content Ad]]