05/22/13 Indiana’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined by 0.2 percent to 8.5 percent in April, the largest one month decrease in over a year. Private sector employment in the Hoosier state also increased by 6,800 jobs over the past month and exceeded the national rate of growth. Indiana has now experienced private sector employment growth in 37 of the past 40 months.
April also recorded the biggest drop in the total number of unemployed in over a year. 7,800 fewer Hoosiers were reported unemployed in April than reported in March. Weekly claims for unemployment insurance also decreased by more that 14 percent over the past month and initial claims continue to remain below 2005 levels.
Marshall County experienced another decline in the unemployment rate. In January the county was at 10.4 and in February dropped to 9.7. The March numbers were 9.5 and April showed a significant drop to 8.0.
Looking at those counties surrounding Marshall, we see Starke County as 10.3 while LaPorte County went from 11.6 to 10.2. St. Joseph County dropped from 10.5 to 9.7 and Fulton County also had a dramatic reduction from 10.0 to 8.9. Other counties include Elkhart who was at 9.4 in March and is now at 8.2 and Kosciusko County who continues to reduce their unemployment numbers. In March they were at 7.6 and April ended with them at 6.4.
Fayette County tops the list of 92 counties in the state with a rate of 11.4 and Dubois County is best in the state with a rate of 5.2 down from 6.3 in March.
Sectors showing gains in April include: Trade, Transportation and Utilities, Professional and Business Services, and Private Educational and Health Service. The construction and manufacturing sectors showed a decline.
