The Iowa Workforce Development released their unemployment data for the month of May this week. A majority of southeast Iowa counties experienced a slight increase in unemployment rates since April, as well as the last year.

The May unemployment rate for Washington County was 2.2 percent, a .1 percent increase from last year and .2 percent raise since April. Keokuk County saw the biggest change with an unemployment rate of 3 percent. This is .2 percent higher than April 2023, and up .7 percent since last year. At 2.1 percent, Johnson County’s unemployment rate has increased .2 from April, but just .1 percent from last year.

While Jefferson and Henry County both experienced a raise in unemployment numbers from April to May, 2.3 percent in Jefferson County and 2.9 percent in Henry County both match their respective unemployment rates in 2022.

The State of Iowa, while keeping the unemployment rate at 2.7 percent since April, did see a .3 percent increase since last year. Iowa shares the 15th-lowest May unemployment rate, while holding the sixth-highest percentage of labor force participation.

For a complete set of data, including information about the labor force, nonfarm employment, hours and earnings, and jobless benefits by county, click here.