Indiana June 2026 Employment Report

Thursday, July 23, 2026 at 1:00 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

Indiana continued to demonstrate a strong labor market in June, with the state's unemployment rate recorded at 3.3 percent, well below the national unemployment rate of 4.2 percent, according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

Marshall County mirrored the state average exactly, also posting a June unemployment rate of 3.3 percent, ranking the county 62nd out of Indiana's 92 counties.

Among the counties surrounding Marshall, the picture varied considerably. Starke County posted the highest regional unemployment rate at 4.2 percent, ranking it 5th highest in the state. St. Joseph County came in close behind at 4.0 percent, ranking 7th. Elkhart and LaPorte Counties each recorded a rate of 3.8 percent, with the state ranking Elkhart 14th and LaPorte 15th. Fulton County ranked 32nd with a rate of 3.6 percent, and Kosciusko County, like Marshall, posted a 3.3 percent rate, landing at 60th on the statewide list. Pulaski County stood out as the region's strongest performer, posting an unemployment rate of just 2.6 percent — the lowest in the entire state, ranking 92nd.

Statewide, Howard County recorded the highest unemployment rate at 5.1 percent, ranking first on the list of counties.

Indiana's labor force participation rate stands at 63.2 percent, compared to the national rate of 61.5 percent. That figure represents the percentage of Hoosiers age 16 and older who are either working or actively looking for work. Indiana's total labor force stands at 3,491,269. Those not counted in the labor force primarily include students, retirees, individuals unable to work due to disability or illness, and adults responsible for their families' childcare needs.

Total private employment in Indiana for June 2026 reached 2,843,400, an increase of 1,800 jobs since May. Industries leading the way in job growth this month included Private Educational and Health Services, which added 1,800 positions, followed by Construction and Trade, Transportation and Utilities, each adding 1,700 jobs, and Financial Activities, which gained 1,500 positions.

As of July 1st, there were 100,062 open job postings across the state. As of the week ending July 4th, Indiana had 18,023 continued unemployment insurance claims filed.

Hoosiers looking for work, job training, or career resources are encouraged to visit in.gov/dwd/job-seekers.