DES MOINES, IOWA – Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 4.4 percent in June. The state’s jobless rate stood at 4.8 percent one year ago. The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 6.1 percent in June from 6.3 percent in May.
“Iowa’s economic expansion increased in June,” said Teresa Wahlert, director of Iowa Workforce Development. “While Iowa’s unemployment rate remained unchanged since last month, the second quarter proved prosperous as Iowa’s nonfarm employment gained 10,800 jobs over the past three months, more than offsetting the sluggish first quarter start.”
Iowa governor Terry Branstad weighed in, boasting that “Iowa is working.
“139,700 jobs have been created since Jan. 2011. We’ll continue working to bring more good, high-paying careers to Iowa.”
The number of unemployed Iowans increased to 74,500 in June from 73,900 in May. The current estimate is 6,000 lower than the year ago level of 80,500.
The total number of working Iowans increased to 1,624,600 in June from 1,624,100 in May. This figure was 500 higher than May, and 32,100 higher than one year ago.
Seasonally Adjusted Nonfarm Employment
Iowa nonfarm employment totaled 1,549,600 jobs in June, 3,100 more than May. This month’s gain marks the third straight increase, and was the result of job gains in the service sectors; goods producing industries were little changed since May (-100). Government added jobs at the local (+3,100) and state (+1,200) levels, more than offsetting a decline in private services (-1,200). This month’s increase also leaves Iowa 22,100 jobs higher than one year ago (+1.4 percent).
Other services added the most jobs this month (+900) due to hiring in membership organizations coupled with repair and maintenance shops. Leisure and hospitality also grew this month (+800) as the result of gains in recreational industries. Wholesale trade fueled a gain of 700 jobs in trade and transportation, more than offsetting an unexpected drop in retail trade. Both construction and mining advanced slightly this month, up 200 and 100 jobs, respectively. Alternatively, losses were heaviest in private education industries (-1,700), and generally due to schools beginning the summer break early. Professional and business services shed jobs this month in both professional and technical services along with administrative and support staff. Finance decreased for the first time since February (-600), and now remains up just 100 jobs versus this time last year.
Annually, nonfarm employment continues to trend upward with the largest gains being in leisure and hospitality (+4,500), trade and transportation (+4,000), and construction (+3,100). All sectors of the Iowa economy have added jobs since last June except for Information services (-1,100), as the advances in technology have steadily decreased demand for labor.
[poll random]
TELL US HOW MANY ARE ON WELFARE & THE OBAMA PLAN THAT COULD BE WORKING LAZY F——
Why won’t Brandstad talk about wage’s Are they rising or are Iowans having to work for nothing to eat.
@rukidding-RU KIDDING. He has put Iowa back to work after you liberals almost bankrupted the state under Culver. Now all you can do is bitch because you have nothing else to offer.
I would say that any idiot would know that if they raise wages, there will be some businesses that can’t afford it and will close but then again there are some people that still want the wages raised so that means not every idiot knows that.