Indiana’s unemployment rate dips in July

Indiana’s unemployment rate decreased slightly in July to 3.4%, down from 3.5% in June, according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, which released its latest unemployment report Friday.

The state’s unemployment rate matched the rate from April 2018 and was lower than the national rate of 3.7%.

Indiana’s labor force—which is composed of both employed and unemployed-but-willing-to-work residents—decreased by 6,608 workers from June to July, to 3.38 million.

Indiana’s labor-force participation rate—the percentage of the state’s population that is either employed or actively seeking work—was 64.6%, ahead of the national rate of 63%.

Private sector employment in Indiana slipped by 1,300 in July over the previous month but is up more than 27,000 over the year, the state said. Total private employment is 2,744,900, the state said.

Job gains were seen in the sectors of Private Educational and Health Services (1,500) and Financial Activities (300). Losses occurred in Leisure and Hospitality (-1,500) and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (-700).

The unemployment rate in Indiana for July was lower than the rates in neighboring states Michigan (4.3%), Illinois (4.2%), Ohio (4%) and Kentucky (4.3%).