Indiana unemployment rate remains low

Indianapolis (Inside INdiana Business) — The Hoosier state closed out 2019 with an unemployment rate below that of the national number, a trend Indiana enjoyed much of the year.

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development says December unemployment remained unchanged from the previous month at 3.2%, compared to the national average of 3.5%. It’s also 0.3% below December 2018 levels.

According to DWD data, the unemployment rate sat at 3.2% for the final four months of the year. In March-May 2019, the state’s unemployment figure peaked for the year at 3.6%, matching the national level.

Indiana added 1,948 jobs in December with gains in the trade, transportation and utilities and construction sectors.

DWD says the state’s total labor force, which includes both Hoosiers employed and those seeking employment, stands at 3.38 million.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says 15 states have unemployment rates lower than the national figure. Vermont is the lowest in the country at 2.2%

Click here to read more about Indiana’s unemployment rate from the Department of Workforce Development.