Rate up to 3.1% in October

Local unemployment jumped back above 3%, but just barely.

Jay County’s unemployment rate in October was 3.1% according to estimates Indiana Department of Workforce Development released Monday.

The local rate went up by 0.2 percentage points from September. It was 2.9% in October 2022.

The rate had climbed to 3.8% in July.

With its 0.2 percentage-point increase, Jay County joined Blackford and Wells counties, which saw their rates go up by 0.4 and 0.1 percentage points, respectively. Adams County saw no change while Delaware and Randolph counties each saw declines of 0.1 percentage points.

Indiana’s unemployment rate remained unchanged from September at 3.3%.

"Indiana's labor market continues to show strength for both workers and employers," said department of workforce development commissioner Richard Paulk in a press release. "Though the state set a private employment record, employers still need to fill many more critical jobs. Economic trends are favorable and we encourage Hoosiers considering re-entering the workforce to take advantage of this worker-friendly economic climate."

Daviess and Gibson counties tied for the lowest unemployment rate in the state, each coming in at 2.4%. White, Hendricks, Hamilton, Dubois and Clinton counties were next at 2.6%.

Lake County had the highest unemployment rate in the state at 4.7%, followed by Fayette and Howard counties at 4.5% and Blackford County at 4.3%. The remaining 88 counties were all under 4%.

Rates for Jay and adjacent counties are as follows: 

Adams County: 2.8%, no change, tied for 15th-lowest

Blackford County: 4.3%, up 0.4 percentage points, fourth-highest

Delaware County: 3.7%, down 0.1 percentage points, tied for seventh-highest

Jay County: 3.1%, up 0.2 percentage points, tied for 42nd-lowest

Randolph County: 3%, down 0.1 percentage points, tied for 33rd-lowest

Wells County: 2.8%, up 0.1 percentage points, tied for 15th-lowest