INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana lost about 3,300 jobs in September, putting it among 41 states that saw fewer jobs last month, according to preliminary numbers released Tuesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
But there’s also some good news for Indiana. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell from 6.4 percent in August to 6.2 percent in September. Indiana’s unemployment rate was the lowest of its neighboring states, although it was slightly higher than the national rate of 6.1 percent.
The state can lose jobs while employment rises because the unemployment rate takes into account other factors, such as the number of Indiana residents looking for a job.
The 3,300 jobs lost were certainly significant to people now without paychecks, said Carol Rogers, deputy director of the Indiana Business Research Center. But she said the state — with its 2,974,800 jobs in September — seems to be faring pretty well amid a shaky economy.
“We seem to be buffered from the worst effects,” Rogers said.
The state’s job picture is under a brighter spotlight this year because of governor’s race.
Democrat Jill Long Thompson said Tuesday that the state has lost high-paying, quality jobs under the administration of Gov. Mitch Daniels.
“These latest numbers show that Indiana’s economy continues to decline, as more than 200,000 Hoosiers remain unemployed,” she said.
Daniels’ campaign spokesman Cam Savage said the governor has been aggressive attracting jobs, although he said there’s always more to be done.
“Indiana continues to do much better than its neighboring states because of the work that Gov. Daniels and the General Assembly have done to create an environment where jobs can be created,” Savage said.
Long Thompson claims the state has lost tens of thousands of jobs over the past year, while Daniels contends Indiana has made strides since he took office. They’re both right.
The state has lost 20,000 jobs since January, when the jobless rate was just 4.5 percent, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers. But since Daniels took office in January 2005, the state has gained 32,600 jobs.
Indiana’s unemployment rate was lower in September than neighboring states, which recorded rates ranging from 6.9 percent in Illinois to 8.7 percent in Michigan. Michigan’s unemployment rate was 50th among states and the District of Columbia, ahead of only Rhode Island’s 8.8 percent unemployment rate.
Midwestern states have been hit hard by the loss of auto industry and other manufacturing jobs, Rogers said. But Indiana has been able to protect itself in part by replacing outgoing jobs with new ones.
“We’re continuing to get an influx of businesses deciding to locate here,” Rogers said. “Two hundred jobs here and 50 jobs there on the positive side do add up.”
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3:19 p.m.: Indiana loses 3,300 jobs in September
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