Des Moines, Iowa — The state unemployment rate dropped again in August.
The rate went from six-point-eight percent in July down to six percent in August and the number of unemployed is now estimated is 91-thousand-500 lower than the Covid-19 peak in April. The state unemployment rate one year ago was more than half of what it is now at two-point-eight percent.
A statement from Iowa Workforce Development says August saw the fourth consecutive monthly increase in jobs since April — but the increase is substantially lower than the average number of jobs added over the previous three months. The statement says slower hiring could be a symptom of colder weather setting in and businesses believing that demand will not return to pre-pandemic levels as quickly as hoped.
The four northwest Iowa counties continue to have among the lowest unemployment in the state. The latest county figures available are for July, and that month, Lyon County had the lowest unemployment in the state at 3.1 percent. Sioux was next at 3.3 percent. Next was Mitchell County in northeast Iowa at 3.4. Osceola was next at 3.8. Shelby County was next at 4.0. O’Brien County was tied with Sac County for sixth place at 4.1 percent.
