Iowa unemployment steady at 6.1 percent

DES MOINES - Iowa's unemployment rate remained stuck at 6.1 percent in January, with 102,100 Iowans out of work.

A January improvement in the national employment rate from 9.4 percent in December 2010 to 9 percent in January wasn't reflected in the Iowa, but Iowa Workforce Development Director Teresa Wahler said the economic recovery is nonetheless gaining traction in Iowa after several months of steady or declining unemployment.

In the Cedar Rapids metropolitan statistical area, the unemployment rate rose in January to 6.8 percent from 6.2 percent in December, and remained unchanged from January 2010.

The Iowa City MSA unemployment rate also increased to 4.9 percent in January from 4.4 percent in December 2010. It was also unchanged from January 2010.

The number of Iowans out of work was down slightly from 102,600 in December, yet remained 900 higher than a year earlier.

Iowa Workforce Development officials said total nonfarm employment in the Cedar Rapids MSA decreased 3,300 from December, leaving it at 134,900.

Job reductions in the Cedar Rapids MSA over the one-month period were concentrated in government (700) retail trade (500) and leisure and hospitality (400). The manufacturing sector lost 300 jobs, as did the professional and business services sector.

In the Iowa City MSA, nonfarm employment fell 3,000 from December, to 88,400. No sectors registered gains in employment, however employment remained 1,300 above January 2010 levels.DE