Washington County unemployment drops to 5%

Washington County's unemployment rate fell to 5.0% in October, 2010.  This is the 2nd lowest unemployment rate in Eastern Iowa, behind Johnson County.  The total laborforce also fell slightly to 12,200 with 11,600 employed persons in the County.

Of the estimated 600 Washington County unemployed persons, only 176 were drawing Unemployment Insurance benefits (down from 215 in September).  For 17 of those receiving Unemployment benefits, their last payment occurred in September, while 26 received their first Unemployment benefit payment.

The State and County data is from the Labor Market and Economic Research Bureau of the Iowa Workforce Development.