HANCOCK COUNTY — The unemployment rate in Hancock County remains lower than the state and national unemployment rate, according to the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The unemployment rate in Hancock County fell to 3.2 percent in February 2018, compared to 3.6 percent in February 2017, according to state records. The county’s unemployment rate was among the lowest in the area, with Hamilton County showing a 2.7 percent unemployment rate in February 2018, Rush County 3.2 percent, Shelby County 3.4 percent, Marion County 3.6 percent, Henry County 4 percent and Madison County 4.3 percent.
The state unemployment rate for February 2018 was 3.7 percent overall, compared to 4.3 percent in February 2017. The national unemployment rate was 4.1 percent, compared to 4.7 percent at the same time last year.
The labor force in Hancock County in February 2018 was 38,933, compared to 38,330 in February 2017 and 38,399 in January 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Indiana’s labor force had a net increase of 2,495 over the previous month, according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. This was a result of 2,243 unemployed residents no longer seeking employment within the past four weeks, and a 4,738 increase in residents employed. Indiana’s total labor force, which includes both Hoosiers employed and those seeking employment, stands at 3.31 million, and the state’s 63.7 percent labor force participation rate remains above the national rate of 63.0 percent.
In addition, Indiana’s initial unemployment insurance claims continue to be at historical lows.
