Lake County continues to have Indiana's highest unemployment rate. It rose to six percent in February, up from 5.7 percent the month before and in February of 2023. Gary, in particular, has the highest unemployment rate of any major city in Indiana at 8.2 percent, followed closely by East Chicago at 7.8 percent.
Porter County's unemployment rate remains lower, but the trend was similar. It rose from 4.4 percent in February of 2023 to 4.6 percent last month. Valparaiso has one of the lowest unemployment rates locally at 4.3 percent.
About 5,300 fewer Lake and Porter County residents were working last month than in February of 2023.
