March saw unemployment continue to decrease for most of the KCII listening area, according to Iowa Workforce Development.

Unemployment decreased from 3.7-3.3% in Washington County, 4.4-3.8% in Louisa, 3.0-2.8% in Jefferson, 4.2-3.8% in Keokuk, 3.6-3.3% in Iowa, and 2.6-2.5% in Johnson. Henry County saw the only increase from 3.1% in February to 3.3% in March. Unemployment decreased on a state and national level this March, from 3.5-3.3% in Iowa and 3.8-3.6% in the U.S.

Iowa’s highest job gains in March were in retail trade with 900, while leisure and hospitality shed the most, losing 2,800. For other large gains and losses, wholesale trade added 700 jobs and health care and social assistance decreased by 800 jobs. All of Iowa’s 99 counties had lower unemployment than March of last year, and the total number of working Iowans increased to 1,637,100 in March. This figure is 10,000 higher than February and 39,400 higher than a year ago.