Putnam jobless rate slides to 6.5 percent as state mark at 5.9

Friday, July 18, 2014

Just as the seasonally adjusted Indiana unemployment rate inched up to 5.9 percent for June, the local figure crept up a couple percentage points as well last month.

The Putnam figure slipped to 6.5 percent for June, tying us with Orange and Washington counties for 62nd best among the 92 Hoosier counties. It also landed the county right in the middle among the seven counties of west-central Indiana.

That at least meant Putnam's June figures again fared better than three neighboring counties that continue to languish in the bottom 25 of the state's monthly jobless listings.

Owen County, at 7.4 percent, was tied for ninth worst last month, while Clay bottomed out at 14th worst at 7.1 percent and Parke fell to 6.7 percent, poor enough for a tie for 70th best or 22nd worst.

Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the state rankings, neighboring Hendricks County, a regular resident of the top 10, was tied for eighth overall in June at 4.9 percent.

Neighbor Morgan was tied for 30th at 5.5 percent in the latest jobless rankings, while Montgomery, at 5.9, tied for the 46th in June.

Indiana's top jobless figure (4.3 percent) is again owned by Dubois County with Hamilton second at 4.5, followed in the top five by Bartholomew at 4.6 percent, then Wells and Koscuisko at 4.7.

Also in the June top 10 are Daviess and Boone, tied with for sixth at 4.8, followed by Hendricks and Whitley at 4.9 for eighth and Martin, Pulaski and Jackson, all at 5.0 percent to round out the top 10 counties.

Landing at the bottom of Hoosier jobless rankings for June were Vermillion at 8.8 percent unemployment, Fayette at 8.4 percent, followed by Vigo at 8.3, Lake at 8.1 and Delaware and Lawrence at 7.6. Then come LaPorte at 7.5, Fountain, Grant and Owen at 7.4 percent to complete the bottom 10.

The Hoosier State gained 10,000 private sector jobs in June, with every major industry sector experiencing growth. Indiana's private sector gains signified the largest June increase on record.

Since July 2009, the low point of employment in the state, Indiana's private sector has expanded by 235,300 jobs. Manufacturing alone has accounted for 77,800 jobs, or one-third of the gains.

Despite Indiana's significant private sector gains, the unemployment rate in the Hoosier State inched up 0.2 percent to 5.9 percent, mainly due to 4,000 individuals returning to the labor force to look for work. Indiana's labor force participation rate remains at 63.3 percent, exceeding the national rate for the third month in a row.

"Indiana added more private sector jobs last month than any other June on record, which is quite significant," Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Develop-ment Scott B. Sanders said.

"The Hoosier labor force has also grown by more than 43,000 in 2014 alone," he added. "There is definitely more work to do, but it remains clear that Hoosiers are going back to work and good jobs are available."

Sanders also noted initial claims and continued claims for unemployment insurance benefits remain at levels not seen since 2000.

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