Indiana Unemployment Hits Best Mark Since 2000

Indiana’s unemployment rate hit its best mark in nearly two decades in September, falling again to 3.2 percent.

Yet the news isn't all good – other employment data struggled for the third month in a row.

The state’s unemployment rate has improved four consecutive months, the best streak in about two-and-a-half years. And 3.2 percent is the lowest level since December 2000.

But the state’s private sector shed jobs for the third month in a row – 3,400 positions lost last month. Those losses primarily came from the leisure and hospitality and manufacturing sectors.

And in a worrying sign, the Indiana labor force shrank in September for the fifth straight month. The labor force, which measures those who have a job as well as those actively looking for one, is often viewed as a barometer of confidence in the economy. Five straight months of decline in that measure is the worst stretch since early 2017.

Contact Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.