Iowa jobless rate drops in December

Iowa's jobless rate in December followed the national trend downward, dipping to 6.3 percent, the state said today.

The drop from 6.6 percent in November is the largest monthly decline for the year, according to Iowa Workforce Development.

A year ago, the jobless rate was 6.5 percent.

Iowa had 106,300 people unemployed in December, 4,200 fewer than the month before.

Iowa's economy, like the rest of the nation's, has struggled to regain its footing, even though the official end of the recession occurred 19 months ago.

In fact, the state said Iowa lost 6,500 nonfarm jobs in December, although it attributed the decline to a shift in seasonal reporting.

It said its “household survey,” the one used to determine the state's unemployment rate, showed an increase of 5,800 jobs for the month.

That survey, the state said, picks up improvements in the economy earlier than the payroll survey.

Iowa's total nonfarm employment stood at 1,474,200 in December.

Construction, professional and business services and the trade and transportation sectors all shed jobs in December.

The leisure and hospitality sector, on the other hand, added jobs, with recreation activities and restaurants boosting employment.

For the year, nonfarm employment has increased by 15,400, with professional and business services adding 7,000 positions, even with the December losses. Manufacturing also added 5,700 jobs for the year.