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Steuben County January Unemployment Up To 13.1%
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Written by: Jim Measel

(UNDATED) - Indiana Workforce Development reported on Wednesday morning that Steuben County's January unemployment rate went up to 13.1%. That's an increase of a half percent from the revised December figure of 12.6%. Steuben County's rate was the 10th highest in Indiana. Elkhart County was still tops at 15.6% with Noble County in second at 14.4%. The Noble County rate went up by one-tenth of one percent from December. DeKalb County's 12.2% unemployment was the 24th highest. It was up from 11.9% in December. While LaGrange County had the seventh highest unemployment rate in Indiana at 13.3%, it was down from the previous months rate of 13.7%. Indiana's preliminary seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for January 2010 did not change from the revised December 2009 rate of 9.7% as the Hoosier State matched the national jobless rate. Department of Workforce Development Commissioner Teresa Voors says similar to the rest of the nation, Indiana isn't seeing much change right now. She adds the state's unemployment rate appears to be holding relatively stable based on the slowing of job losses. Seasonally-adjusted total non-farm employment in Indiana declined by 2,000 in January. Sectors reporting significant employment increases included Manufacturing, Financial Activities along with Professional and Business Services. Sectors reporting significant employment declines included Private Education and Health Services, Leisure and Hospitality and Construction. Steuben County had 615 more people in the January work force. A total of 14,182 found employment while 2,141 were out of work. Of Indiana's 92 counties, a total of 66 had double digit unemployment in January. Indiana still has lower unemployment numbers when compared to the neighboring states of Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan and Illinois.