Jay unemployment is 4.3 percent

The local unemployment rate went up last month. But it was still lower than in 2016.

According to estimates Indiana Department of Workforce Development released Monday, Jay County’s unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in August.

The number is up 0.7 percentage points from July. However, it’s still 0.4 percentage points lower than last year.

Jay County’s rate followed the area and state trends, as each of the adjacent counties saw their rates increase by at least 0.6 percentage points. The state rate went up by the same amount to 4 percent.

Adams and Wells counties remained among the best in the state when it comes to unemployment, with the former coming in tied for the third-lowest rate with Kosciusko County at 3.2 percent. Only Elkhart, Dubois, LaGrange and Bartholomew counties were better. Wells was tied for the 17th-lowest rate.

Jay, Randolph, Blackford and Wells counties all were among the bottom third of Indiana’s 92 counties when it comes to unemployment. Delaware County tied with Newton County for the fifth-highest rate at 5.1 percent.

Vermillion County posted the highest unemployment rate in the state at 5.8 percent, with Lake County (5.6) and Fayette County (5.5) as the next highest.

Area rates are as follows:

Adams County: 3.2 percent, up 0.6 percentage points, t-third lowest.

Blackford County: 4.6 percent, up 0.8 percentage points, t-14th highest.

Delaware County: 5.1 percent, up 0.7 percentage points, t-fifth highest.

Jay County: 4.3 percent, up 0.7 percentage points, t-26th highest.

Randolph County: 4.4 percent, up 0.6 percentage points, t-22nd highest.

Wells County: 3.5 percent, up 0.6 percentage points, t-17th lowest.