Washington County unemployment rate tumbles to 4.5% in May

Washington County's unemployment rate fell by 0.5% to 4.5% in May, 2011. Washington County had its second consecutive month of having 100 people back to work. The County also has the second lowest unemployment rate in the east half of Iowa, behind Johnson County at 4.1%.

Washington County's labor force was steady at 11,900, and the number of employed persons grew to 11,400. This is a 300+ person increase from this past winter.

Of the estimated 500 Washington County unemployed persons, 154 were drawing Unemployment Insurance benefits (down from 292 in April ).  For 17 of those receiving Unemployment benefits, their last payment occurred in May, while 25 received their first Unemployment benefit payment.

The State of Iowa's unemployment rate held steady at 6.0% from April . Looking further, the number of unemployed persons in Iowa decreased by about 700, while the number of employed persons also decreased by 900 as the State's labor force contracted (and lowered the statewide unemployment rate).  The national unemployment rose 0.1% from April to 9.1% in May.

State and County data is from the Labor Market and Economic Research Bureau of the Iowa Workforce Development. ?

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