Iowa’s unemployment rate dips to 3.2% in December

/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/BR_web_311x311.jpeg

Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.2% in December, down from last month’s 3.3% but up from 3% a year ago. The state’s labor force participation rate dropped to 67.7% from 68.1% in November, as 8,500 Iowans left the workforce. “December’s report shows job growth in construction and manufacturing, adding 1,400 and 1,100 jobs, respectively, which is always a very good sign for Iowa’s economy,” Beth Townsend, executive director of Iowa Workforce Development, said in a prepared statement. “On the other side of the equation, we saw a reduction in the number of Iowans in the labor force, with most indicating that they left the workforce voluntarily. IowaWORKS.gov currently has nearly 58,000 open job postings, so there are plenty of good jobs available for any Iowan who is unemployed or wants to return to the workforce.” The number of unemployed Iowans declined to 55,800 in December from 57,200 in November. The U.S. unemployment rate remained at 3.7%. For more information about Iowa’s labor market, click here.