Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) released the state’s January unemployment figures this (Monday) morning, which shows the state opened 2023 with a slight decrease in joblessness. Iowa’s rate declined to 3.0 percent in January from 3.1 percent in December 2022. The total number of unemployed Iowans fell 1,200 in January to 51,100; however, the number of working Iowans also decreased by 500 to approximately 1.7 million. An added 8,300 jobs in January helped push the labor participation rate to 68.1 percent, but that figure remains below pre-pandemic levels. IWD Director Beth Townsend says, “The significant increase in both the number of Iowans with jobs and the number of people rejoining the labor force are very positive signs. Iowa has worked hard over the last year to make it easier to connect Iowans with open jobs, including adding one-on-one assistance through our Reemployment Case Management program from the first week of unemployment. Decreasing the amount of time between jobs helps working Iowans and our employers who are looking for hardworking new employees. This is the engine that helps fuel our economy.” The construction sector added the most jobs in January with 3,900, followed by manufacturing with 1,400, and health care and social assistance with 1,300. The full IWD dataset is included below.
