Elkhart County's jobless rate heads up in February 2008

ELKHART -- The unemployment rate in Elkhart County edged up in February 2008, exceeding both the state and national rates.

The county's unemployment measured 5.3 percent, up from 5.0 percent in January, compared with 5.2 percent for both Indiana and the United States. Across the Midwest, the unemployment rate in Kentucky matched Indiana while Illinois was 5.5 percent, Ohio was 5.3 percent and Michigan was 7.2 percent.

The city of Elkhart registered an unemployment rate of 6.6 percent in February, an increase from 6.3 percent in January. The city of Goshen had an unemployment rate of 5.0 percent in February, a rise from 4.7 percent in January.