Putnam jobless rate stuck at 55th best for 2nd straight month

Status quo.

That sums up the local jobless picture, according to the latest statistics.

With an unemployment rate a tick lower than Indiana's for October, Putnam County has again posted a jobless figure in the bottom half of state rankings.

Indiana's seasonal adjusted unemployment rate remained steady at 5.7 percent in October, while the non-seasonally adjusted rate was 5.3 percent.

Meanwhile, Putnam County's non-seasonally adjusted rate was reported at 5.2 percent -- good for a five-way tie for 55th among Indiana's 92 counties. It marks the second straight month the Putnam jobless rate has languished at 55th best in the state.

And once again, Putnam finds itself right smack in the middle of the seven-county area with three contiguous counties posting better marks and three others lagging behind the local figure.

The best of those, Hendricks County, slipped from the state's top 10 group, coming in 13th with a 4.5 percent ranking, while Morgan, at 4.7 percent, was 23rd overall and Montgomery, at 5.0 percent, checked in at 43rd best.

On the opposite end of the jobless spectrum, Clay County barely eluded the bottom 10, posting a 6.2 percent unemployment rating good for a tie for 11th worst with Greene and Delaware counties.

Owen, at 6.0 percent for October, was in a six-way tie for 16th worst (or 72nd best). Parke County, listed 68th for the month, posted a 5.8 percent jobless figure.

While there was no month-to-month change for Indiana, it marks the 10th straight month the unemployment rate has remained below the national average of 5.8 percent and is the second lowest rate -- behind Ohio's 5.3 percent -- among surrounding states, according to a report released by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

Indiana's best jobless figure (3.8 percent) is again owned by Dubois County with Hamilton and Bartholomew tied for second at 4.0, followed in the top five by Pulaski (4.1), Wells, Kosciusko, Daviess and Boone in a tie at 4.0.

Rounding out the Hoosier top 10 for October are Warrick at 4.3 percent, good for ninth, and a three-way tie for 10th at 4.4 percent between Whitley, Martin and Jackson counties.

Meanwhile, landing at the bottom of Indiana jobless pack for October were Sullivan at 7.3 percent, Lake at 7.2 percent, Fayette at 7.1 and Vermillion at 6.9. Rounding out the bottom 10 are LaPorte, Lawrence and Vigo, all at 6.7 percent, followed by Fountain and Miami at 6.5 and Grant at 6.3 percent unemployment.

The report cites the growth of 5,500 private sector jobs in October, led mainly by the trade, transportation and utilities and manufacturing sectors.

Indiana's jobless rate has decreased by 1.4 percent over the past year, according to the department. Initial and continued claims for unemployment insurance benefits continue to remain at levels not seen since 2000.

The state's employment to population ratio -- the percentage of the entire population age 16 and over who are employed -- was 59.8 percent in October, an improvement of 0.2 percent over September.