Iowa’s unemployment rate moves down slightly

Iowa’s unemployment rate for November was nearly identical to October’s jobless figure. Ann Wagner, a state labor market analyst, says November’s unemployment rate was four-point-seven percent. October’s was four-point-eight percent. “Very little difference, actually,” Wagner says.Claims for unemployment benefits were roughly equal month-to-month. There was a small decrease in non-farm employment. Wagner says, though, there was an increase in hiring in trade and transportation as well as the health care sectors of Iowa’s economy. Some counties have high unemployment rates, though. Clayton County has an unemployment rate of eight percent. Tama County, where the Iowa Quality Beef Co-op recently closed, has a seven-point-seven percent unemployment rate. Lee and Lucas Counties have a seven-point-two percent unemployment rate. Henry County has a six-point-four percent unemployment rate. Harrison County’s unemployment rate is six-point-two and three Iowa counties — Jasper, Wapello and Woodburgy — have unemployment rates of six percent. There are about one-and-a-half million Iowans working according to the state Workforce Development agency. Just over 77-thousand Iowans were unemployed in November.