Iowa Workforce Development Communications
For Immediate Release
Date: December 21, 2023
Contact: Jesse Dougherty
Telephone: 515-725-5487
Email: communications@iwd.iowa.gov

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Iowa’s Unemployment Rate Increases to 3.3 Percent in November Despite 4,700 New Jobs

DES MOINES, IOWA – Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 3.3 percent in November, up from 3.1 percent one year ago. Iowa’s labor force participation rate decreased to 68.1 percent in November (down 0.3 percent from October and 0.1 percent from one year ago) even as businesses gained 4,700 jobs. Meanwhile, the U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 3.7 percent in November.

“Despite some Iowans leaving their jobs in November, we saw employers add over 4,500 jobs, and we have gained over 10,000 jobs in the past year,” said Beth Townsend, Executive Director of Iowa Workforce Development. “A bright spot in today’s report includes an increase of over 1,000 jobs in health care, an industry that has struggled to find workers. That industry is up 8,500 jobs in 2023, which will help ease some of the gaps in the industry created by the pandemic. Additionally, there are over 62,000 jobs posted on IowaWORKS, a number which continues to exceed the total number of unemployed in Iowa.”

The number of unemployed Iowans increased to 57,200 in November from 56,000 in October.

The total number of working Iowans decreased to 1,672,000 in November. This figure is 8,000 lower than October but 3,800 higher than one year ago. 

Seasonally Adjusted Nonfarm Employment

Iowa’s businesses added 4,700 jobs in November, lifting total nonfarm employment to 1,591,500. This increase is the second consecutive and largely the result of private service hiring in health care and social assistance coupled with hiring in trade and construction. The gain in November helps keep the state positive for 2023 with private industry continuing to expand payrolls. Government was unchanged compared to October. Total nonfarm employment combined is now at 10,300 jobs gained annually.

Construction industries advanced by 1,800 jobs in November to lead all industries. This sector gained 3,100 over the past three months following a sluggish summer that saw jobs pared during the season. Many of the hires were related to commercial construction projects. Elsewhere, education and health care added 1,500 jobs with health care and social assistance responsible for most of the increase (+1,100). Trade and transportation gained 1,000 jobs in November and was fueled by hiring in both wholesale and retail trade, which added a combined 1,500 jobs, more than offsetting a small drop in transportation and warehousing (-500).  The only other major gain in November occurred in financial activities (+1,000). This increase was the first since March for this sector. Professional and business services posted the only major loss in November (-1,000). This loss was fueled by cutbacks in administrative support and waste management services.

Annually, education and health care services has added the most jobs (+9,400). Health care and social assistance is responsible for most of the increase (+8,500). Manufacturing has added 3,000 jobs over the past 12 months. All the increase stems from durable goods factories; nondurable goods shops decreased slightly (-600). On the other hand, professional and business services continue to lose jobs and now rest down 7,400 jobs. Most of this loss is related to administrative support and waste management industries.

Employment and Unemployment in Iowa, Seasonally Adjusted Data

      
    

Change from

 

November

October

November

October

November

 

2023

2023

2022

2023

2022

      

Civilian labor force

1,729,200

1,735,900

1,721,100

-6,700

8,100

Unemployment

57,200

56,000

52,900

1,200

4,300

Unemployment rate

3.3%

3.2%

3.1%

0.1

0.2

Employment

1,672,000

1,680,000

1,668,200

-8,000

3,800

Labor Force Participation Rate

68.1%

68.4%

68.2%

-0.3

-0.1

      

U.S. unemployment rate

3.7%

3.9%

3.6%

-0.2

0.1

      

Nonfarm Employment in Iowa, Seasonally Adjusted Data

      

Total Nonfarm Employment

1,591,500

1,586,800

1,581,200

4,700

10,300

Mining

2,200

2,300

2,300

-100

-100

Construction

84,100

82,300

83,200

1,800

900

Manufacturing

227,800

227,900

224,800

-100

3,000

Trade, transportation and utilities

310,500

309,500

311,700

1,000

-1,200

Information

19,600

19,400

19,000

200

600

Financial activities

106,600

105,600

107,700

1,000

-1,100

Professional and business services

137,600

138,600

145,000

-1,000

-7,400

Education and health services

241,400

239,900

232,000

1,500

9,400

Leisure and hospitality

141,900

141,800

140,200

100

1,700

Other services

57,500

57,200

56,600

300

900

Government

262,300

262,300

258,700

0

3,600

Above Data Subject to Revision

    

Unemployment Insurance Claims for Iowa

      
    

% Change from

 

November

October

November

October

November

 

2023

2023

2022

2023

2022

      

Initial claims

12,770

7,976

10,608

60.1%

20.4%

Continued claims

     

Benefit recipients

9,617

8,270

7,525

16.3%

27.8%

Weeks paid

29,381

23,066

21,249

27.4%

38.3%

Amount paid

$14,785,708

$11,658,609

$9,918,012

26.8%

49.1%

Visit Labor Market Information for more information about current and historical data, labor force data, nonfarm employment, hours and earnings, and jobless benefits by county.

MEDIA ALERT: Local data for November 2023 will be posted to the IWD website on Wednesday, December 27, 2023.  Statewide data for December 2023 will be released on Friday, January 19, 2024.


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