Elkhart County unemployment rate drops to 17.8 percent in April 2009

Elkhart Truth

Friday, May 22, 2009 2:06 PM

Indiana counties with the highest unemployment:

1. Elkhart 17.8

2. LaGrange 17.7

3. Noble 16.6

4. Adams 15.1

5. Steuben 15.1

Indiana cities with the highest unemployment:

1. Elkhart 19.8

2. Goshen 17.5

3. Kokomo 13.7

4. East Chicago 13.5

5. Marion 13.1

By Marilyn Odendahl, Truth Staff

modendahl@etruth.com

Unemployment figures for April show Elkhart County recording its first major decline in the jobless rate since the layoffs began in earnest in June 2008.

The county dropped to 17.8 percent unemployment in April, down from the 18.9 percent reported in March, according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. Also Indiana posted the only decrease in unemployment among its neighboring states, dropping to 9.9 percent in April from 10.6 percent in March.

In addition, the cities of Elkhart and Goshen both saw their unemployment decline. Elkhart fell a whole percentage point to 19.8 percent while Goshen slipped farther to 17.5 percent.

However Elkhart County along with the cities of Elkhart and Goshen still lead the state in unemployment rates.