(Des Moines)– More bad news today (Thurs.) for Iowa’s unemployment rate and the economy.
Richard Running, Director of Iowa Workforce Development, says the statewide jobless rate for May increased to four and-a-half percent from four-point-two percent in April and four percent in May of last year. Running says it’s the highest reading since the statewide jobless rate hit four-point-six percent in October, 1992.
There was some good news though locally. Unemployment in Dickinson county posted a sharp decline in May at two percent…down considerably from four-point-seven percent in April. Officials say the start-up of seasonal operations in the Iowa Great Lakes is the main factor behind.
Declines in unemployment were posted in neighboring counties as well.
Clay county’s jobless rate went from four-point-three percent in April to three-point-two percent in May; Emmet went from six percent in April to four-point-nine percent in May; Osceola county saw it’s rate drop from three-point-four percent in April to two and-a-half percent in May; O’Brien county’s jobless rate dropped a full point going from three-point-seven percent in April to two-point-seven percent in May; and Palo Alto county’s unemployment went from three-point-six percent in April to two-point-eight percent in May.
The combined jobless rate for Clay and Dickinson counties, the Corridor of Opportunity, was two-point-six percent.
