Indiana’s unemployment rate in January remained unchanged from the seasonally adjusted figure of 9.7 percent the state posted the previous month, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development said Wednesday morning.

While still higher than the January 2009 rate of 8.8 percent, state officials are content with what appears to be an easing of significant job losses.

“Similar to the rest of the nation, Indiana isn’t seeing much change right now,” DWD Commissioner Teresa Voors said. “Indiana’s unemployment rate appears to be holding relatively stable based on the slowing of job losses.”

The number of unemployed Hoosiers increased to 327,198 in January from a revised 298,380 in December. The state’s labor force, however, increased by nearly 21,000 in January, to 3.1 million, DWD said.

Indiana still has the lowest unemployment rate among its neighboring states. Michigan’s rate is the highest at 14.3 percent, followed by Illinois at 11.3 percent, Ohio at 10.8 percent and Kentucky at 10.7 percent.
 
Statewide, the manufacturing sector posted the largest employment gains. Conversely, private education and health services, service providers and leisure and hospitality reported losses.

The non-seasonally adjusted jobless rate in the Indianapolis metro area was 9.3 percent in January, up from a revised 8.4 percent in December.

Indiana is set to release February unemployment figures March 26.