Two of the three counties in the Raccoon Valley Radio listening area saw increases in unemployment last month.

According to Iowa Workforce Development, Guthrie County had a 0.2 percent increase in unemployment from July to August to 2.8 percent. Dallas County also had a slight incline of the percentage of those without a job of 0.1 percent from July to August to 2.1 percent. Greene County actually had a decrease in its unemployment percentage from July to August of 0.1 percent to 2.1 percent.

All three counties are well ahead of unemployment rates at this same point last year. In August of 2021, Guthrie County was at 3.8 percent, Greene County at 3.5 percent and Dallas County was at 2.9 percent unemployment. 

Iowa’s unemployment also crept up 0.1 percent from July to this past month of August to 2.6 percent. The national unemployment rate from August was 3.7 percent.