Counties with the highest unemployment in Indiana
The first jobs report under the new Trump administration showed a stable job market, with the unemployment rate ticking down from 4.1% to 4% in January, the lowest since last May, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released Feb. 7.
The report marks 49 consecutive months of overall job growth, the second-longest recorded period since 1939.
Job losses that did occur were concentrated in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industries, which declined by 8,000 jobs over the month. There was little change in employment in other major industries.
To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates Indiana, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in December 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Key takeaways: Jobs report reveals cooling labor market
January's job growth of 143,000 fell short of expectations, while the downward revision of 589,000 fewer jobs in 2024 suggests the labor market was weaker last year than initially thought.
Business leaders are starting to display more caution, with 67% of executives reporting higher stress levels heading into 2025, according to a survey of 1,000 executives by Sentry, a business insurance company. Among survey respondents, 47% citing economic uncertainty as their biggest concern.
"We have what I would describe as a robust but frozen labor market," Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon, told The New York Times, noting that while unemployment remains low, there's very little churn or employee turnover as "businesses are being cautious as to how they manage their work force."
Moody's Analytics projects monthly payroll gains could slow to around 100,000 by year-end.
The big story: Potential for economic headwinds grows
Behind the "Now Hiring" signs and modest unemployment rate, there's growing concern on Main Street that the economy might be more fragile than it appears.
"You've already got companies hiring as if they're in a recession—even if they're not laying people off," Oliver Allen, senior U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told CNN. Average unemployment duration, a lagging indicator, rose from 20.8 weeks in January 2024 to 22 in January of this year.
Tightening trade regulations and federal trimming could also have an impact on the job market. Experts predict the U.S. gross domestic product could take a hit due to increased tariffs. The U.S. government is the country's largest employer and contributes 36% to the GDP.
Sudden cuts to federal spending advocated by the new administration could hit the economy hard. One example of the potential fallout is that if prices were to increase further due to higher tariffs, consumer purchasing power would decline, stymieing economic growth.
Whether the effects of slashing the workforce and the budget will be exceeded by Trump's plans to loosen business regulations and cut taxes remains to be seen.
To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Indiana.
50. Clark County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 63,542 people (2,345 unemployed)
45. Carroll County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,492 people (402 unemployed)
45. Monroe County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 71,659 people (2,689 unemployed)
45. Henry County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,927 people (876 unemployed)
45. Dearborn County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 26,052 people (981 unemployed)
45. Huntington County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,825 people (680 unemployed)
42. Pike County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,759 people (227 unemployed)
42. Allen County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 190,463 people (7,486 unemployed)
42. Brown County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,059 people (317 unemployed)
36. Jay County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,044 people (361 unemployed)
36. Elkhart County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 107,625 people (4,269 unemployed)
36. Tipton County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: -1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,519 people (338 unemployed)
36. Parke County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,241 people (291 unemployed)
36. Marion County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 524,643 people (20,798 unemployed)
36. Wabash County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,923 people (600 unemployed)
32. Franklin County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,657 people (437 unemployed)
32. Noble County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,629 people (876 unemployed)
32. Madison County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 62,359 people (2,553 unemployed)
32. Ripley County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,191 people (540 unemployed)
29. Clay County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,618 people (492 unemployed)
29. Kosciusko County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 39,685 people (1,683 unemployed)
29. Fountain County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,100 people (340 unemployed)
28. Switzerland County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,652 people (198 unemployed)
25. St. Joseph County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 133,291 people (5,946 unemployed)
25. Porter County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 86,791 people (3,896 unemployed)
25. Randolph County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,771 people (527 unemployed)
13. Delaware County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 52,227 people (2,386 unemployed)
13. Wayne County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,003 people (1,387 unemployed)
13. Vigo County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 45,693 people (2,083 unemployed)
13. Lawrence County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,465 people (942 unemployed)
13. Fulton County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,511 people (439 unemployed)
13. Owen County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: 0.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,522 people (439 unemployed)
13. Orange County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,313 people (385 unemployed)
13. Newton County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,875 people (317 unemployed)
13. Jennings County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,069 people (649 unemployed)
13. Jasper County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,308 people (758 unemployed)
13. Scott County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,754 people (499 unemployed)
13. Grant County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 31,371 people (1,440 unemployed)
12. Sullivan County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: -0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,031 people (375 unemployed)
10. Crawford County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,790 people (233 unemployed)
10. Greene County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,602 people (670 unemployed)
8. Cass County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,538 people (870 unemployed)
8. LaPorte County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 48,383 people (2,396 unemployed)
6. Vermillion County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,626 people (340 unemployed)
6. Blackford County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,619 people (235 unemployed)
4. Miami County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: -1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,979 people (793 unemployed)
4. Starke County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,762 people (517 unemployed)
3. Lake County (tie)
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 230,835 people (13,793 unemployed)
2. Fayette County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.1%
--- 1-month change: -0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,306 people (505 unemployed)
1. Howard County
December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.7%
--- 1-month change: -1.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 34,913 people (2,699 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Ben Popken, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
