The unemployment rate in the State of Iowa has seen a decrease from the last year.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was released Monday, August 18, 2014, and showed a slight increase from the last month, but a decrease from where it was one year prior.
The unemployment rate rose a hair from 4.4 percent in June 2014 to 4.5 percent in July 2014. Looking back to one year ago, however, the state’s jobless rate stood at 4.8 percent. Breaking down the numbers, there were an estimated 3,700 fewer people without jobs at this time last year, according to a spokesperson from Iowa Workforce Development.
The director of Iowa Workforce Development attributes the slight June to July unemployment increase to a growing labor force. There are about 30,000 more people in the labor force this year compared to last year.
“The state’s labor force continues to expand in July, causing a slight increase in the monthly unemployment rate,” said Teresa Wahlert, director of Iowa Workforce Development. “Iowa’s labor force has grown steadily this year, and surpassed 1.7 million in July.”
The one year change from July 2013 to July 2014 showed a gain in almost all fields, including construction, manufacturing, and education jobs, but a loss in information jobs.
