County unemployment rates are at their lowest levels in a number of years.
According to the Division of Employment Security, the Grundy County rate for October was two point one percent. That’s a full percent lower than the rate noted in September (3.1%). And the latest rate is down almost two percentage points from a year ago (October 2016 was 4.0%)
Grundy County’s current rate of two percent is based on 102 persons unemployed out of nearly 4800 in the civilian labor force. For the same month last year, twice as many persons were unemployed then.
The two-point-one percent is the lowest rate Grundy County has experienced in over ten years. (KTTN began obtaining the monthly figures in the fall of 2007)
By comparison, the highest rate for Grundy County was nine percent on unemployment during the first quarter of 2010. (January, February, and March)
Linn County typically has the highest unemployment rate in this area of the state. For October, Linn again has a high rate – this time, it’s just four percent. Just two counties have unemployment rates above three percent for October: Caldwell and Clinton are at three point four percent (3.4%)
Area counties between three and two percent are Carroll (2.8%), DeKalb (2.7%), Sullivan (2.5%), Putnam (2.4%), Mercer is the same rate as Grundy (2.1%); Daviess and Chariton are two percent. Those in the area less than two percent include Worth and Livingston at 1.8%. Harrison and Gentry are 1.7% Statewide, October’s unemployment rate stood at 3.5%. Pemiscot County in southeast Missouri leads the state with 5.2%.
