Indiana's August Unemployment Rate Best Since February 2018

Indiana’s unemployment rate declined in August, down to its lowest level in a year and a half – the Hoosier rate now stands at 3.3 percent.

The Indiana unemployment rate improved for the third consecutive month in August. That’s its best streak in more than two years. And 3.3 percent unemployment is the lowest rate since February 2018.

But other employment data was not so positive last month. The state’s private sector lost jobs in August – 2,100 positions, mostly from the leisure and hospitality and manufacturing sectors.

And the state’s labor force worsened again in August for the fourth straight month. The labor force measures people actively looking for a job, as well as those who have one. And so, it’s often viewed as a sign of optimism – or pessimism – in the economy. Four consecutive months of decline is the longest stretch since the start of 2017.

Contact Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.