Jay Co. rate drops to 4.8%

Unemployment is back below 5%.

According to estimates the Indiana Department of Workforce Development released Monday, Jay County posted an unemployment rate of 4.8% in August.

The rate is down by 0.6 percentage points from August, dropping it back below the 5% mark for the first time since the impact of the coronavirus-related shutdowns hit this spring.

Jay County’s unemployment rate skyrocketed to 20.2% in April at the peak of the coronavirus shutdown. The rate has steadily dropped since, coming in at 14.3% in May, 9.4% in June and 5.4% in July before falling below 5% last month.

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

After finishing tied for the eighth-lowest unemployment rate in the state in September, Jay County slipped a bit in the state rankings last month. It was tied for the 21st-lowest rate in the state.

Daviess County posted the lowest rate in the state at 3.5%. Adams County was tied with LaGrange and Martin counties for second lowest at 3.9%.

Jay County compared favorably with both the state and the nation. Indiana’s rate came in at 6.5 %, while the overall U.S. rate was 8.5%.

The highest unemployment rate among Indiana’s 92 counties last month was 9.4% in Lake County. LaPorte County was next at 8.5%, and Fayette County came in at 8.4%.

Area rates are as follows:

Adams County: 3.9%, down 1.1 percentage points, t-second lowest.

Blackford County: 6.4%, down 0.8 percentage points, t-19th highest.

Delaware County: 7.2%, down 1 percentage point, t-seventh highest.

Jay County: 4.8%, down 0.6 percentage points, t-21st lowest with Fountain, Decatur and Clinton counties.

Randolph County: 5.9%, down 0.8 percentage points, t-30th highest.

Wells County: 4.7%, down 1.2 percentage points, t-15th lowest.