Indiana's Unemployment Rate Held Steady In September

Indiana’s unemployment rate remained unchanged in September, the first time in five months the rate didn’t go down. 

The rate stayed at 4.5 percent last month. That’s still its lowest level in nearly a year and lower than all of its neighboring states. The private sector added about 10,000 jobs for the month, the sixth consecutive month of increases.

Gains came in almost all employment areas -- the only outlier was the trade, transportation and utilities sector, which shed 1,300 jobs.

The notable concern for September was the state’s labor force. That’s the total number of people either with a job or actively looking for work. Indiana’s labor force declined last month by about 2,000 people. That’s the first time it’s gone down in more than four years.