Local October unemployment rates were down from the month before, but still higher than they were in October 2023. Lake County's unemployment rate was 5.4 percent, according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, while Porter County's rate was 4.1 percent.
Still, the actual number of residents believed to be working has increased from October of 2023, by almost 1,200 in Lake County and almost 400 in Porter County. More residents are in the labor force, compared to last October.
When it comes to individual cities, Gary now has the second-highest unemployment rate in Indiana at 8.3 percent, falling behind Kokomo, but the rest of the top five are also in Lake County.
Valparaiso has the lowest unemployment rate of the Region's major cities at four percent.
