Unemployment Report Released for February

  
 
According to the recently released unemployment report for February 2013, the unemployment rate in Starke County and all its surrounding counties decreased since January. Starke County’s rate dropped by 0.1 percent, giving the county the sixth highest unemployment rate in the state.

Meanwhile, Pulaski County’s unemployment rate dropped 0.3 percent to 8.1 percent, ranking them the 76th highest county for unemployment; Marshall County dropped by 0.6 percent to 9.7 percent, ranking them 43rd; LaPorte County’s rate remained at 12 percent for a rank of eighth highest; Fulton County’s rate dropped by 0.2 percent to 10.3 percent, ranking them 33rd; St. Joseph County also dropped by 0.2 percent to 10.6 percent for 28th place; and Porter County dropped by 0.3 percent to 9 percent, making them the 57th highest county for unemployment.

The unemployment rate rose for ten counties in Indiana while 10 counties were unchanged. The statewide unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percent to 8.7 percent, while the national rate dropped 0.2 percent to 7.7 percent.

Indiana continued a steady trend of expansion in the private sector throughout February, adding 5800 jobs and maintaining a streak of growth dating back to July 2011. February marked the 38th month of private sector increases in the 42 months since July 2009, the low point of employment in the state. Since that low point, Indiana has added more than 188,000 private sector jobs.

Scott Sanders, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, noted that initial unemployment claims are now at their lowest levels in eight years.