By BILL POWELL
bpowell@dcherald.com

JASPER — Dubois and Tipton counties shared the lowest unemployment in the state in October, according to a new state report.

Dubois County and the county north of Indianapolis each posted a 2.1% unemployment rate in October. For Dubois County, that was up two-tenths of a percent from the previous month.

The state’s highest October unemployment — 4.4% — was once again found in east-central Indiana’s Fayette County.

October rates rose in six of Dubois County’s eight neighboring counties: Crawford 3.3% (up from 3.1%); Daviess, 2.2% (up from 2.1%); Martin, 2.4% (up from 2.3%) Orange, 3.1% (up from 2.8%); Perry, 2.9% (up from 2.8); and Warrick, 2.6% (up from 2.4%). Spencer County’s rate was unchanged at 2.6% and Pike County’s rate fell, going from 2.8% to 2.7%.

The overall state rate in October remained at 3.2%, continuing to be lower than the national rate of 3.6%.

The last time Indiana’s unemployment rate was lower than 3.2% was December 2000.

Indiana’s October labor force had a net increase of 567 people over the previous month. That was a result of a decrease of 1,397 unemployed residents coupled with an increase of 1,964 employed residents, according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. Indiana’s total labor force, which includes both Hoosiers employed and those seeking employment, stands at 3.38 million, and the state’s 64.4% labor force participation rate remains above the national rate of 63.3%.

Dubois County’s labor force consisted of 22,897 people in October — 22,416 of whom were employed. That left 481 classified as unemployed.

By way of comparison, the county’s rate in October 2018 was 2.6% or five-tenths of a percent higher than the 10th month of 2019.

Indiana’s 3.2% October rate was lower than all of its immediate neighboring states. Those other states’ rates were Ohio, 4.2% (unchanged); Kentucky, 4.3% (down from 4.4%); Michigan, 4.1% (down from 4.2%); and Illinois, 3.9% (unchanged). Other favorable Midwest rates in October were Minnesota, 3.2% (unchanged), and Wisconsin, 3.3% (up from 3.2%).