Unemployment in Marion County dropped to 4.6-percent in October, down nine-tenths of a percent from September and 1.4-percent from a year ago.
The State Department of Employment Security reported the size of the labor force fell along with the number of unemployed. The Labor force dropped from 16,598 to 16,430, while the number of unemployed dropped by 69 people.
The lowest unemployment in the region is at 2.1-percent in Washington County, down eight-tenths of a percent from September and six-tenths of a percent from a year ago. Clinton County’s unemployment fell to 2.6-percent, a drop of three-tenths of a percent from September and nine-tenths of a percent from a year ago. Jefferson County’s unemployment fell from 5.5-percent to 4.8-percent, a drop of 1.4-percent from last October. Fayette County’s unemployment fell a half percent to 3.7-percent, down 1.2-percent from last year. In Clay County, unemployment fell seven-tenths of a percent to 4.2-percent. That’s a drop of eight-tenths of a percent from last October.
The state job service reports a growth of 500 jobs in the Centralia-Mt. Vernon area in the past year. They include 225 in professional and business services, 150 in government, and 100 in manufacturing. There was a loss of 50 employees in educational and health service and 25 apiece in information, natural resources and mining as well as leisure and hospitality.
