State unemployment rate remains below national average

Monday, September 21, 2026 at 8:50 AM

The unemployment rate of the State of Indiana in August was recorded to be 3.3% according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

By comparison, the national unemployment rate reported for July was 4.1%.

In addition, Indiana’s labor force participation rate is 63.0% compared to the national rate of 61.6%. This rate is the percentage of Hoosiers 16-and-older that are either working or actively looking for work.

Those not in the labor force include, primarily, students, retirees and other non-working populations, such as individuals unable to work due to a disability or illness, or adults responsible for their family's childcare needs.

Indiana’s total labor force stands at 3,488,019.

August 2026 total private employment is 2,843,800 -- an increase of 4,000 since July.

Industries that experienced job increases this month included:

Manufacturing (+3,500)
All Other (+3,000)
Leisure & Hospitality (+1,200)
Professional & Business Services (+800)

As of Aug. 30, there were 102,895 open job postings throughout the state.

As of the week ending on Sept. 5, Indiana had 17,551 continued unemployment insurance claims filed.

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