Unemployment rate is 4.9 percent

While the local unemployment rate went up in January, it continued to show improvement over previous years.

According to Indiana Department of Workforce Development estimates released Tuesday, Jay County’s unemployment rate for January came in at 4.9 percent. 

That percentage is up 0.8 percentage points from December. However, it’s down 0.2 percentage points from January 2016 and down nearly 1.5 percentage points from January 2015.

For the second month in a row, Jay County was tied for the 41st-highest rate among Indiana’s 92 counties.

Unemployment rates went up statewide in January, with Indiana’s rate coming in at 4.7 percent. That’s up 0.7 percentage points from the previous month

“While Indiana's unemployment rate is a positive indicator for the state's workforce, it also represents a significant challenge for Hoosier employers in identifying and hiring qualified employees,” said workforce development commissioner Steven J. Braun in a press release. “To this end, DWD is engaging Hoosier employers to inform our state’s workforce training and education efforts so that programs and courses are aligned with employer demand and producing pipelines of skilled employees.”

Adams and Wells counties continued to be strong performers in the unemployment rankings, with the former posting the eighth-lowest rate in the state at 3.7 percent. The latter came in at 3.9 percent to tie for 13th-lowest.

Hamilton County had the lowest rate in the Hoosier state in January at 3.3 percent, followed by Elkhart County at 3.4 percent.

Vermillion County, which tied for the highest level of unemployment in December, held the spot alone at 7.4 percent in January. Newton County was next on the list at 7.3 percent.

Area rates are as follows:

Adams County: 3.7 percent, up 0.6 percentage points, eighth lowest.

Blackford County: 6.2 percent, up 0.8 percentage points, t-11th highest.

Delaware County: 5.6 percent, up 0.8 percentage points, t-16th highest.

Jay County: 4.9 percent, up 0.8 percentage points, t-41st highest.

Randolph County: 5.4 percent, up 1.0 percentage points, t-23rd highest.

Wells County: 3.9 percent, up 0.6 percentage points, t-13th lowest.