Putnam jobless figure dips to 3.9 percent for October

Just when you thought there might not be any good news coming out of 2020, the latest unemployment figures arrive.

Following jobless numbers as high as 11.3 percent for May and 10.0 for June, Putnam County has settled into a more normal jobless pattern recently, posting its latest figure of 3.9 percent, according to October unemployment totals compiled by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

The newest numbers show Putnam County’s October ranking among Indiana’s top 40, tying with six other counties -- Shelby, Pulaski, Pike, Harrison, Hancock and DeKalb -- for the 37th-best ranking among 92 Hoosier counties.

Back in June, a 10.0 unemployment figure had lumped Putnam County among 51 Indiana counties suffering with double-digit jobless rates. Since July, however, there have not been any Hoosier counties with a double-digit jobless figure.

For October, among the seven west-central Indiana counties, Putnam trails only Parke (3.5 percent), while ranking ahead of Owen (4.2), Sullivan (4.5), Clay (4.5), Vermillion (4.6) and Vigo (5.2).

The state’s unemployment rate for October is 4.8 percent.

While better than the state average, the latest Putnam number is actually worse than all but two contiguous counties -- Owen (4.2) and Clay (4.5) -- while Montgomery and Parke (3.5), Hendricks (3.6) and Morgan (3.7) all outpaced Putnam for the month.

Overall, Indiana’s top 10 best jobless ratings for October are: 1. Daviess (2.7 percent), 2. Posey (3.0), 3. Union, Adams and Boone (3.1), 6. Martin (3.2). 7. Warrick, Hamilton, LaGrange and Dubois (all 3.3).

Meanwhile, the bottom 10 unemployment figures for October are: 1. Orange (8.2), 2. Lake (7.0 percent), 3. Fayette (6.5), 4. LaPorte (6.3), 5. Marion (6.2), 6. St. Joseph (6.1), 7. Howard (5.5), 8. Starke (5.4), 9. Madison, Miami, Switzerland and Vigo (all 5.2).