More than 1.53 million Iowans were employed in September, up slightly from August, pushing the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate down to 4.7%, Iowa Workforce Development reported today.

In September 2019, Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.8%; in August 2020, it was 6%.

Highlights from today’s release about September unemployment data includes:
Number of working Iowans: 1,536,200, up from 1,520,200 in August. In September 2019, 1,702,500 people worked in the state.

Number of nonfarm jobs in Iowa: 1,495,000, up from 1,493,000 in August. A year ago, the state had 1,584,900 nonfarm jobs. 

Number of added leisure and hospitality jobs: 4,000 jobs gained between August (114,600) and September (118,600). “Leisure and hospitality still has some ground to make up,” the state reported in its release. 

Number of added manufacturing jobs: 1,400 jobs gained between August (218,900) and September (220,300).   

Number of  jobs lost in construction: 2,600 jobs lost between August (69,200) and September (66,600).

Number of unemployed Iowans: 76,600, down from 96,500 in August. In April, when a large percentage of the state’s entertainment-related and retail business were ordered closed because of COVID-19, 188,000 Iowans were unemployed. In September 2019, 48,700 Iowans were unemployed.

Number of unemployment insurance claims: 22,890 initial claims were filed, down slightly from the 23,393 new claims filed in August. In September 2019, 7,611 new claims were filed.  

Unemployment insurance paid: $84.48 million was paid to unemployed Iowans from the state’s unemployment compensation trust fund. The amount is nearly 13% less than the $96.47 million paid out in August. In September 2019, the state paid unemployed Iowans $18.7 million.

U.S. unemployment rate: 7.9%; in August it was 8.4%.