Unemployment falls to 4.3 percent

The local unemployment rate still ranks near the middle of the state’s 92 counties, but it showed significant improvement over the previous year.
Jay County had an unemployment rate of 4.3 percent in May according to estimates Indiana Department of Workforce Development released Monday. That’s down more than half a percentage point from the same time last year.
The Jay County rate dropped 0.5 percentage points from April, ranking it 42nd-highest in the state. It is down 0.5 percentage points from May 2015.
The rate matches the state average, which also dropped 0.5 percentage points to 4.8 percent. The labor force has increased by 111,763 this year.
“Indiana’s labor force participation rate is at the highest point since 2009 and continues to outpace the national average,” workforce development commissioner Steven J. Braun said in a press release. “Indiana experienced positive gains in employment accompanied by a decrease in unemployment, which suggests that many Hoosier jobseekers, including those joining the workforce for the first time in May, found success in securing gainful employment.”
Each of the counties adjacent to Jay also saw their rates decrease, with Randolph County’s dropping by nearly a full percentage point from April to May. Wells County had the best rate in the area at 3.4 percent while Blackford and Delaware counties both came in at 5.2 percent.
Hamilton and Dubois counties continued to share the lowest rate at 3.1 percent. LaGrange County was next at 3.2 percent.
Vermillion County posted the highest rate at 6.5 percent.
Area unemployment rates are as follows:
Adams County: 3.6 percent, down 0.4 percentage points, t-14th lowest.
Blackford County: 5.2 percent, down 0.5 percentage points, t-11th highest.
Delaware County: 5.2 percent, down 0.4 percentage points, t-11th highest.
Jay County: 4.3 percent, down 0.5 percentage points, 42nd highest.
Randolph County: 4.1 percent, down 0.9 percentage points, t-40th lowest.
Wells County: 3.4 percent, down 0.3 percentage points, t-seventh lowest.