Indiana April 2026 Employment Report

Friday, May 29, 2026 at 2:00 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

Indiana continued to outperform the national labor market in April 2026, posting an unemployment rate of 3.2% — more than a full percentage point below the national rate of 4.3%, according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

The state's labor force participation rate also exceeded the national figure, coming in at 63.2% compared to the national rate of 61.8%. That figure represents the percentage of Hoosiers age 16 and older who are either employed or actively seeking work. Indiana's total labor force stands at 3,487,162. Those not counted in the labor force include students, retirees, individuals unable to work due to a disability or illness, and adults who remain home to manage their family's childcare needs.

Locally, Marshall County recorded an April unemployment rate of 2.6%, placing it 36th among Indiana's 92 counties. Among surrounding counties, the picture is mixed. Starke County ranked third highest in the state with a rate of 3.9%, while LaPorte County came in fifth at 3.4%. Fulton County reported a rate of 3.1%, ranking 13th in the state, and St. Joseph County followed at 3.0%, ranking 18th. Elkhart County came in 27th with a rate of 2.7%.

To the east, Kosciusko County posted an unemployment rate of 2.5%, ranking 48th of 92 counties. Pulaski County recorded the lowest unemployment rate in the region at 2.3%, ranking 76th statewide. Across Indiana, Howard County reported the highest unemployment rate at 4.7%, while Union County posted the lowest in the state at 1.8%.

Total private employment in Indiana for April 2026 stood at 2,841,300, a slight decrease of 600 positions from March. Several industries, however, saw notable job gains during the month. Trade, Transportation & Utilities led the way with an increase of 4,200 jobs, followed by Private Educational & Health Services, which added 1,100 positions, and Construction, which grew by 600 jobs.

As of April 30, 2026, there were 94,224 open job postings across the state. As of the week ending May 2, 2026, Indiana had 19,380 continued unemployment insurance claims on file.

Hoosiers seeking employment assistance, job training, or career resources are encouraged to visit in.gov/dwd/job-seekers.