(DES MOINES, IA) -- Iowa's unemployment rate saw a slight increase to 3.6% in May, up from 3.5% in April, according to new data from Iowa Workforce Development (IWD).
Despite the small rise in the unemployment rate, state officials highlighted positive signs in the report. The labor force participation rate grew to 67.3%, as nearly 4,000 Iowans entered the workforce to look for jobs. "Iowans continued to rejoin the labor force in May," said IWD Executive Director Beth Townsend.
The report also showed a decline of 5,200 nonfarm jobs in May, primarily in private service industries. Over the past year, the manufacturing sector has faced the most significant losses, shedding 8,400 jobs. In contrast, the health care and social assistance sectors have shown strong growth, adding 4,600 jobs over the last year.
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