Iowa unemployment rate slightly increases from March to April

DES MOINES — Iowa’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate rose a tenth of a percent from March to April to 3.5% That’s according to new data released this morning by Iowa Workforce Development.

The total number of unemployed Iowans increased to 60,000 in April from 58,600 in March. The number of working Iowans increased by 3000 between March and April to 1,667,100. That’s 4500 higher than a year ago. The state’s labor force participation rate rose to 67.2%

Iowa Workforce Development director Beth Townsend says April’s report showed significant job growth as well as more Iowans returning to the workforce. Private service industries saw most of the gains with 4100 jobs added since March.

Since last April, manufacturing industries have shed the most jobs with 7400.