The Iowa Workforce Development recently released its June unemployment data, with Washington County leading the way in the KCII listening area.

Washington County’s June unemployment rate was 2.2 percent, the lowest among not only southeast Iowa counties, but any Iowa county east of Des Moines. This is 0.1 percent higher than May 2024, but 0.4 percent lower than a year ago.

Johnson County came next at 2.4 percent, then Louisa County at 2.6 percent and Henry County at 2.8 percent. All three have seen a decrease in unemployment rate since last year, but only Louisa County improved from May to June. Keokuk County recorded an unemployment rate of 3.0 percent while Iowa and Jefferson counties came in at 3.2 percent, and were the only two in the listening area that did not see a decrease from 2023.

The State of Iowa’s unemployment rate for the month of June was 2.8 percent, well below the national rate of 4.1 percent. For more unemployment data, including hours and earnings, labor force data, and jobless benefits by county, visit iowalmi.gov.