Putnam August jobless figure dips to 5.4 percent

Things seem to be returning to normal, at least in the Indiana unemployment ranks.

Following jobless numbers of 11.3 percent for May and 10.0 for June, Putnam County posted a more stable 6.6 percent for July.

And now comes an even more respectable 5.4 percent for August, according to monthly unemployment totals compiled by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

Those new figures show Putnam County’s August ranking in the top 40, tying with six other counties -- Pulaski, Pike, Monroe, Kosciusko, Cass and Bartholomew -- for the 39th-best ranking among Indiana’s 92 counties after being 37th for July.

Back in June, a 10.0 unemployment figure put Putnam County among 51 Indiana counties with double-digit jobless rates. For August, however, there are no longer any Hoosier counties with a double-digit jobless figure.

At the September City Council meeting, Greencastle Mayor Bill Dory continued to offer an improved local jobs picture.

“We have a number of employers looking to hire here, including one who would like to hire 400 over the next couple of months,” Dory said.

Among the seven west-central Indiana counties, for August Putnam trails only Parke (4.9 percent), while ranking ahead of Owen (5.9), Sullivan (6.0), Clay (6.2), Vermillion (6.2) and Vigo (7.2).

The state’s unemployment rate for July is 6.5 percent, improving on a July figure of 7.9 percent.

While better than the state average, the latest Putnam number is worse than all but two contiguous counties -- Owen (5.9) and Clay (6.2) -- while Montgomery (4.7), Parke, Morgan and Hendricks (all 4.9) outpaced Putnam for the month.

Overall, Indiana’s top 10 best jobless ratings for August are: 1. Daviess (3.5 percent), 2. Martin, LaGrange and Adams (all 3.9), 5. Posey and Boone (4.1), 7. Hamilton, Franklin and Dubois (all 4.5), 10. Warren, Union, Tipton and Steuben (all 4.6).

Meanwhile, the bottom 10 unemployment ratings for August are: 1. Lake (9.4 percent), 2. LaPorte (8.5), 3. Fayette (8.4), 4. Marion and St. Joseph (8.2), 6. Orange (8.1), 7. Decatur, Porter and Vigo (all 7.2), 10. Howard (7.1).