Latest Putnam County jobless figure among 30 best in state

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Buoyed by the employment of seasonal workers, Putnam County has returned to the top third of Indiana’s monthly jobless rankings for the first time in at least a year.

Typically, Ascena Retail Group, Walmart and others locally hire seasonal help to boost their staff levels for the holiday season, which not only provides extra helping hands but affects the unemployment rate in a positive manner.

Following local jobless figures as high as 11.3 percent last May and 10.0 in June, Putnam numbers have settled into a more normal jobless pattern recently with the county posting its second straight 3.9 percent figure, according to November unemployment totals compiled by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

Industry experts typically note that 4.0 percent can be considered full employment since that number often is comprised of the chronic unemployed -- those who couldn’t pass a drug screen to secure a job, those with transportation issues or parents who have child-care difficulties.

The latest numbers find Putnam County’s ranking among Indiana’s top 30, tying with eight other counties -- Rush, Steuben, Ripley, Knox, Huntington, Harrison, Hancock and Bartholomew -- for the 28th-best ranking among 92 Hoosier counties.

Back in June, a 10.0 unemployment figure had lumped Putnam County among 51 Indiana counties suffering double-digit jobless rates. Since July, however, no Hoosier county has posted a double-digit jobless figure.

The state’s unemployment rate for November was reported at 4.9 percent.

While better than the state average, the latest Putnam number is actually worse than all but two contiguous counties -- Owen (4.2 percent) and Clay (4.9) -- while Hendricks and Montgomery (tied for 15th best in the state at 3.6), Parke and Morgan (3.8) all posted better jobless numbers than Putnam for the month.

Among the seven west-central Indiana counties for November, Putnam trails Parke (3.8 percent), while ranking ahead of Owen (4.2), Sullivan (4.6), Clay (4.9), Vermillion (5.0) and Vigo (5.5).

Overall, Indiana’s top 10 best jobless ratings for November are: 1. Daviess (2.8 percent), 2. Boone and Adams (3.1), 4. Union and Posey (3.2), 6. Hamilton (3.3), 7. Warrick, Warren, Tipton and Martin (all 3.4).

Meanwhile, the bottom 10 unemployment figures among Hoosier counties for November are: 1. Lake (7.4 percent), 2. Orange (7.1), 3. LaPorte (6.9). 4. Fayette (6.8), 5. Marion (6.3), 6. St. Joseph (6.1), 7. Starke (5.9), 8. Howard (5.6), 9. Vigo (5.5), 10. Switzerland (5.4).

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