Unemployment Drops in November
Indiana’s unemployment rate decreased to 3.7 percent in November, down from 3.9 percent the previous month. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development says while the state lost 4,200 private sector jobs last month, the unemployment rate remains below the national average of 4.1 percent. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures show the Indiana labor force has decreased by nearly 15,400.
November was the first month since May where Indiana saw a drop in the unemployment rate.
Indiana’s labor force stands at 3.32 million. The state’s 63.9 percent labor force participation rate remains higher than the national rate of 62.7 percent.
The highest growth sector for Indiana in November was construction. However, the state saw big losses in the trade, transportation and utilities, and leisure and hospitality sectors.
Indiana continues to have the lowest unemployment of the neighboring states, all of which remain above the national rate. Only Minnesota and Wisconsin have lower unemployment in the Midwest.