Local, state jobless rates down in September
10/27/2009
The local jobless rate was 9.5 percent in September, according to figures released Wednesday by Indiana Workforce Development. That''s down from 10 percent in August, which was down from 10.9 percent in July and 11.7 percent in June.
The state''s figures indicated that of Delaware County''s labor force of 52,837, about 5,026 people were unemployed in September.
The 9.5-percent rate, although reduced in recent months, is high compared to the 6.6-percent rate from September 2008.
Ball State University economist Michael Hicks said the unemployment rate decline could be attributed to people who have given up and taken themselves out of the workforce -- including many people who were retirement age but could have continued working -- as well as the lessening of the recession''s effects.
"It probably reflects that the economy is slowly recovering," Hicks said.
Indiana''s unemployment rate in September was 9.6 percent, down from 9.9 percent in August. State officials on Wednesday boasted that Indiana''s unemployment rate had dropped 1.1 percent over the past three months and is lower than the national rate of 9.8 percent.
The unemployment rate in Indiana is lower than in Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan, which has a rate of 15.3 percent.
In East Central Indiana, employment rates ranged from 13.3 percent in Blackford County (down from 14.4 percent), 12 percent in Henry County (up from 11.8 percent), 10.4 percent in Jay County (down from 11.2 percent) and 10.2 percent in Randolph County (down from 11 percent).
Delaware County ranked 42nd among Indiana''s 92 counties. Elkhart County in northern Indiana still led the state with an unemployment rate of 15 percent.
Contact business editor Keith Roysdon at 213-5828.
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