Montgomery County's unemployment rate climbs to 11.1 percent for June 2009

By Barry Lewis, The Paper of Montgomery County Assistant Publisher

While the state's unemployment inched up by just one-tenth of a percent, Montgomery County's rate soared to 11.1 percent according to the figures released late last week by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

The state's preliminary seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate increased in June to 10.7 percent. That was an increased from May's figure of 10.6 percent.

Montgomery's County's rate went from 9.9 percent in May to 11.1 percent in June. The spike in the county's rate was not unexpected as expected. A big part was the reduction of the workforce at Friction Holdings.

From May to June a total of 254 people lost their jobs in Montgomery County. The figures show that the county has 2,103 individuals unemployed out of a total workforce of 18,959. The total workforce increased by 229 individuals during the month as well. By comparison the county's unemployment numbers for June of 2008 was 5.0 percent.

At 11.1 percent unemployment, Montgomery County ranks with the 40th highest rate in the state and is one of 61 counties with an unemployment rate of more than 10.0 percent which is two more than last month. Howard County, which has been hit hard by the auto industry layoffs, has the highest unemployment rate at 19.7.

Locally, Montgomery County's remained in the middle when compared with the seven adjoining counties.

Only Fountain County (14.2), Clinton (11.6) and Putnam County (11.4) are higher than Montgomery County's 11.1 percent. Other surrounding counties' figures are: Tippecanoe (10.3), Parke (10.1), Boone (7.9) and Hendricks (7.6).

Tippecanoe County was the only of the seven surrounding counties that jumped more than Montgomery County this month. Tippecanoe County's rate went from 8.6 percent to 10.3 percent of a jump of 2.7 percent. Montgomery County went up 1.2 percent. Other local counties that saw an increase were: Clinton (11.6 percent up from 11.1 percent), Fountain County (14.2 percent up from 13.5 percent), Parke County (10.1 percent up from 10.0 percent), Boone County (7.9 percent up from 7.6 percent), Hendricks County (7.6 percent up from 7.5 percent). Putnam County remained the same as last month at 11.4. None of the local counties saw their rates drop.