Unemployment Drops Again in February

Workforce Development is one of several state departments to collaborate on the plan

Unemployment in Indiana has fallen for the fourth consecutive month. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development says the state’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.2 percent in February, down from 3.3. percent the previous month.

The state also added 5,200 private sector jobs last month, while U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures show Indiana’s labor force increased by nearly 2,500. The state’s labor force participation rate stands at 63.7 percent, which remains higher than the national rate.

The highest growth sectors for Indiana in January were construction and trade, transportation and utilities. However, the state saw losses in leisure and hospitality, as well as private educational and health services. 

Among the neighboring states, Indiana is the only one with an unemployment rate lower than the national rate of 4.1 percent. Wisconsin remains the only state in the Midwest to have lower unemployment than Indiana at 2.9 percent.