Jay ranked 12th again

Jay County continues to perform well in monthly unemployment statistics.

Its neighbor to the north is best on the list.

Jay County had the 12th-lowest unemployment rate — 3.4% — among the state’s 92 counties last month while Adams County tied for the lowest, according to estimates Indiana Department of Workforce Development released this week.

The local unemployment rate went up by 0.2 percentage points in June after also ranking 12th-lowest in the state last month. (Jay County tied with Ohio, Marshall, Kosciusko, Gibson and Elkhart counties this month.)

The rate was down significantly from last year’s 8.5% when some businesses were still closed or restricted because of the coronavirus pandemic. The June 2019 unemployment rate was 2.9%.

Indiana’s overall unemployment rate has followed a similar pattern. It was 3.3% in June 2019, came in at 10.3% during the same month of 2020 and was back down to 4.7% last month.

Adams County continued its strong run on the unemployment list. Its rate went up 0.3 percentage points from May but still tied with LaGrange County for the lowest in the state at 2.8%. Its rate, which has been lowest in Indiana for three consecutive months. was 2.5% last month and 2.1% in April.

Wells County was tied for 10th with Steuben County at 3.3%.

Howard County posted the highest unemployment rate in the state in June at 9.4%.

Lake County was next at 7.9%, and no other county was higher than 6.2%.

Area rates are as follows:

Adams County: 2.8%, up 0.3 percentage points, t-lowest.

Blackford County: 4.7%, up 0.3 percentage points, t-22nd highest.

Delaware County: 5.3%, up 0.4 percentage point, t-ninth highest.

Jay County: 3.4%, up 0.2 percentage points, t-12th lowest

Randolph County: 4.0%, up 0.2 percentage points, t-43rd highest.

Wells County: 3.3%, up 0.2 percentage points, t-10th lowest