Iowa — The December unemployment rate moved up one-tenth of a percent to three-point-two percent. Iowa Workforce Development director Beth Townsend says that comes as more people were looking for jobs.
Townsend says some of the job gains were offset by losses.
She says overall the positive news outweighed the negative.
Townsend says there’s always a stop in February and the next unemployment numbers won’t come out until March.
The US unemployment rate decreased to four-point-one (4.1) percent in December.
Closer to home, the most recent county-by-county unemployment statistics available are those for November 2024. In that month, Sioux County had the lowest unemployment in the state with just 1.8 percent. Lyon County was second with 1.9 percent unemployment. Osceola County was tied with Audobon County for third place, with 2.1 percent. Several counties tied for fourth at 2.2 percent, and even more tied for fifth place at 2.3. O’Brien County was tied with several others for sixth place with 2.4 percent unemployment.