Inside INdiana Businss is reporting Indiana’s unemployment rate stood at 3.2 percent for the third consecutive month. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development says the state lost 7,000 private sector jobs last month, however U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures show Indiana’s labor force increased by more than 11,600. The state’s labor force participation rate sits at 64 percent, which remains higher than the national rate.
The national unemployment rate dropped to 3.9 percent last month. The DWD says Indiana’s unemployment has been below the national rate for more than four years, with the exception of October 2014 when it was equal.
The highest growth sectors for Indiana in April were mining and lodging, IT, and manufacturing. However, the state saw losses in trade, transportation and utilities, as well as construction.
Among the neighboring states, Indiana continues to be the only one with an unemployment rate lower than the national rate. Wisconsin remains the only state in the Midwest to have lower unemployment than Indiana at 2.8 percent.