Indiana's unemployment rate is lower than the national average and all neighboring states, except for Michigan.

The state's private sector added about 8,500 jobs in June, the third consecutive month of increases.

But even with the job growth, the state's unemployment rate increased for the third consecutive month.

Indiana's private sector added nearly 7,000 jobs last month. Yet the unemployment rate climbed a tenth of a percent to 4.7 percent, its highest level since June.

Job growth last month missed economists' expectations of 190,000 new jobs - and came in far lower than December's job numbers, which were revised downward to 262,000.

The unemployment rate remained unchanged for four consecutive months to end the year, holding steady at 4.4 percent since September. That's a 1.5 percent drop from the start of 2015.

Indiana's unemployment rate held steady for the third consecutive month in November, still its lowest level in 14 years.

The Indiana unemployment rate fell to 4.4 percent last month, the lowest level since August of 2001.

Indiana's unemployment rate decreased for the seventh consecutive month in September, falling to its lowest level in eight years.

The state's monthly report also shows the unemployment rate dropped from 4.9 percent in June to 4.7 percent in July. That's down a little more than 1 percent from this same time last year.