While the County's labor force remained steady at 12,400 people, the number of unemployed persons dropped by 100 to 700 - people are getting back to work. Since the early 1990s, Washington County's labor force has grown significantly.
Johnson County's unemployment rate was stable at 4.7% with 3800 unemployed, but with a growing labor force. Of Washington's other neighboring Counties, all but Henry and Louisa had decreasing unemployment from March to April.
The State's April (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate was 6.9%. From March, there was an increase in the number of people unemployed, but also an increase in the number of people with jobs.
The national unemployment rate increased to 9.9% in April, comparable to only the hardest hit counties in Iowa. It is good to be in Iowa, especially in Washington County.
MARCH 2010 APRIL 2010
COUNTIES: LABOR LABOR
(NOT SEASONAL ADJ.) FORCE EMP UNEMP RATE FORCE EMP UNEMP RATE
WASHINGTON
(PART OF IC MSA) .. 12400 11600 800 6.7 12400 11700 700 5.9
JOHNSON (PART OF MSA) 80900 77100 3800 4.7 81600 77800 3800 4.7
HENRY .............. 9850 8830 1020 10.3 9980 8850 1120 11.3
JEFFERSON .......... 8370 7560 810 9.6 8230 7490 740 9.0
KEOKUK ............. 5740 5240 500 8.8 5670 5240 430 7.6
LINN (PART OF MSA) . 121900 113300 8700 7.1 123100 114600 8600 6.9
LOUISA ............. 6240 5710 530 8.5 6320 5760 550 8.8
IOWA CITY MSA ...... 93300 88600 4700 5.0 94000 89500 4600 4.8
IOWA (SEASONAL ADJ). 1684600 1570500 114200 6.8 1689500 1572700 116800 6.9
U.S. (SEASONAL ADJ)* 153910 138905 15005 9.7 154715 139455 15260 9.9
* FIGURES ROUNDED TO NEAREST THOUSAND
SOURCE: LABOR MARKET AND ECONOMIC RESEARCH BUREAU,
IOWA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (515) 281-8182
