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Iowa’s jobless rate sees drop in June
Iowa Workforce Development says seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 2.6 percent
Iowa’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate dropped to 2.6 percent in June, Iowa Workforce Development said Thursday.
That figure is down from 2.7 percent in May and back to its pre-pandemic level, the state agency said in a news release.
Iowa businesses added 5,100 jobs in June as the state’s labor force participation rate rose to 67.8 percent, up from 67.6 percent the previous month.
The national unemployment rate remained at 3.6 percent in June, according to IWD.
The total number of working Iowans climbed to 1,665,500 in June.
That is 8,200 higher than May and 57,900 above one year ago. The number of unemployed Iowans declined to 43,900 in June, from 46,800 in May.
“The efforts to bring Iowans back into the workforce with promising new careers is paying off, but we’re not done yet.” said Beth Townsend, IWD director.
“We remain focused on removing barriers and helping to fill the 89,000 open jobs across the state.”
Among the highlights from IWD’s June report:
- June’s gain of 5,100 jobs lifted total nonfarm employment to 1,572,800, the third consecutive increase with 10,400 jobs added since March.
- Total nonfarm was up 42,100 jobs over 2021.
- Growth in private industries primarily were within accommodations and food services and related to increased summer foot traffic
- Government gained 2,700 jobs mostly due to local administrations adding jobs to handle seasonal summer jobs. Overall, government rests up 7,200 jobs compared to June 2021.
- Leisure and hospitality added the most private sector jobs in June, up 2,000, resulting from accommodations and food-service sector hires heavily influenced by seasonal gains in recreational camps.
- Arts, entertainment and recreational industries dropped in June following gains in each of the previous two months.
- Manufacturing added 700 jobs, with hiring nearly split between durable and nondurable goods factories. Manufacturing has now added jobs in seven consecutive months with 11,700 jobs gained during that period.
- All other jobs gains were relatively small and included other services (an additional 300) and construction (an additional 200). S
- Sector losses were highest in information services (down by 400), followed by professional and business services (a drop of 200), financial activities (down 100) and natural resources and mining (a decline of 100).
Boone-based Fareway Grocery displayed hiring signs at the entrance to its 4220 16th Ave. NW store in Cedar Rapids earlier this month. (Michael Chevy Castranova/The Gazette)
