Jay unemployment is 11th lowest in state

Jay County came in among the 20 lowest unemployment rates in the state for the third consecutive month.

According to Indiana Department of Workforce Development estimates released Monday, Jay County had an unemployment rate of 3.5% in November. That ranked the county 11th among the state’s 92 counties.

That number is still 0.8 percentage points higher than the previous year.

The local unemployment rate was as high as 20.2% in April at the height of the coronavirus pandemic shutdowns, but has now been below 5% for four consecutive months.

Jay County ranked 20th in the state in unemployment rate in October and 17th in September.

Prior to the pandemic, local unemployment had been at lower than 5% for four years.

Indiana’s unemployment rated of 4.9% in November was down 0.4 percentage points from the previous month. The statewide rate was 3.2% in November 2019.

Daviess County posted the lowest unemployment rate in Indiana last month at 2.8%. Adams County tied with Boone County for the second-lowest rate at 3.1%. A total of 14 counties came in at 3.5% or lower.

Lake County in northwest Indiana had the highest unemployment rate in the state at 7.4%. Orange County was next at 7.1%.

Area rates are as follows:

Adams County: 3.1%, down 0.8 percentage points, t-second lowest.

Blackford County: 4.9%, down 1.5 percentage points, t-20th highest.

Delaware County: 5%, down 2.2 percentage point, t-17th highest.

Jay County: 3.5%, down 1.3 percentage points, t-11th lowest

Randolph County: 4.4%, down 1.5 percentage points, t-31st highest.

Wells County: 3.6%, down 1.1 percentage points, t-15th lowest.