Unemployment rates were lower in December in 11 states, higher in 4 states, and stable in 35 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Eight states had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier, 1 state had an increase, and 41 states and the District had little or no change. The national unemployment rate, 3.5 percent, was unchanged over the month but was 0.4 percentage point lower than in December 2018. Non-farm payroll employment increased in 3 states in December 2019 and was essentially unchanged in 47 states and the District of Columbia. Over the year, 26 states added non-farm payroll jobs and 24 states and the District were essentially unchanged. South Carolina, Utah, and Vermont had the lowest unemployment rates in December, 2.3 percent each. The rates in Colorado (2.5 percent), Florida (3.0 percent), Georgia (3.2 percent), Illinois (3.7 percent),Oregon (3.7 percent), South Carolina (2.3 percent), Utah (2.3 percent), and Washington (4.3 percent) set new series lows. Alaska had the highest jobless rate, 6.1 percent. In total, 15 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 3.5 percent, 12 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 23 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.
Indiana’s unemployment rate remained at 3.2%, while Dearborn County ticked down to 3.2% from 3.3% in November. This is the 30th lowest rate in the state (of 92 counties).
You can find the entire report focused on Southeast Indiana here.