The Iowa Workforce Development released its unemployment data for December 2023. With an unemployment rate of 3.2 percent, this is a slight decrease from 3.3 percent in November of 2023 but still a 0.2 percent increase from one year ago. Nationally, unemployment was at 3.7 percent in December.

Iowa’s labor force participation rate dropped last month to 67.7, but is still more than five percent higher than the national rate. Despite roughly 8,500 Iowans leaving the workforce, more than 2,000 jobs were added in December, the third consecutive gain and fourth in the last five months. Since 2022, non-farm employment in Iowa has grown by more than 10,000 jobs. Largest gains were seen in education and health services, manufacturing, government, and construction. Notable decreases came in professional and business services, trade and transportation, and financial activities.

As of last week, IowaWorks.gov had 58,000 job openings for unemployed Iowans hoping to return to the workforce. For more unemployment data, including hours and earnings, labor force data, and jobless benefits by county, visit iowalmi.gov.