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St. Joseph County – Unemployment History 2024

Unemployment Word Cloud

Unemployment statistics are among the most critical indicators used to assess the health and stability of a local economy. These statistics provide valuable insights into labor market conditions, economic growth, and social well-being, helping policymakers, businesses, and researchers make informed decisions. Understanding unemployment trends allows stakeholders to identify economic strengths, weaknesses, and necessary interventions to foster sustainable development.

  1. Measuring Economic Health Unemployment rates serve as a barometer for the overall economic performance of a local economy. A low unemployment rate typically indicates a robust economy where businesses are expanding, consumer spending is strong, and job opportunities are plentiful. Conversely, high unemployment suggests economic distress, such as business closures, reduced consumer demand, or industrial decline. By tracking these trends, economists and local governments can gauge whether the economy is growing, stagnating, or contracting.

  2. Informing Policy Decisions Governments and policymakers rely on unemployment data to design and implement effective economic strategies. For instance, if a local economy experiences rising unemployment, policymakers might introduce job training programs, tax incentives for businesses, or infrastructure projects to stimulate employment. Conversely, if unemployment is too low, it may signal labor shortages, prompting policies that encourage workforce participation, such as childcare support or immigration adjustments. Without accurate unemployment statistics, policymakers would struggle to address labor market challenges effectively.

  3. Assessing Labor Market Dynamics Unemployment statistics reveal more than just joblessness-they highlight structural issues within the labor market. For example:
    • Frictional Unemployment (short-term joblessness due to workers transitioning between jobs) indicates a dynamic economy with fluid job mobility.
    • Structural Unemployment (mismatches between workers' skills and job openings) suggests a need for education and retraining programs.
    • Cyclical Unemployment (job losses due to economic downturns) calls for stimulus measures to revive demand.


    By analyzing these categories, local leaders can tailor workforce development initiatives to address specific labor market inefficiencies.

  4. Impact on Consumer Spending and Business Confidence Employment levels directly influence consumer spending, which drives local economic activity. High unemployment reduces disposable income, leading to lower retail sales, decreased tax revenues, and potential business cutbacks. Conversely, low unemployment boosts consumer confidence and spending, encouraging business expansion and investment. Businesses also monitor unemployment trends to assess labor availability and plan hiring strategies accordingly.

  5. Identifying Regional Disparities Unemployment statistics help identify disparities between different regions, industries, or demographic groups within a local economy. For example, certain areas may suffer from higher unemployment due to the decline of a dominant industry (e.g., manufacturing), while others thrive in growing sectors (e.g., technology). Similarly, youth or minority unemployment rates may be disproportionately high, signaling the need for targeted social and economic programs.

  6. Influencing Investment and Development Investors and developers use unemployment data to assess the viability of local markets. A high-unemployment region may deter investment due to reduced consumer demand, whereas areas with strong employment growth attract businesses and infrastructure projects. Municipalities can leverage favorable unemployment statistics to promote economic development and attract new industries.


Conclusion

Unemployment statistics are indispensable for understanding the local economy's dynamics, strengths, and challenges. They guide policy formulation, highlight labor market inefficiencies, influence business and consumer behavior, and help address socioeconomic disparities. By continuously monitoring and analyzing unemployment trends, local economies can implement proactive measures to ensure stability, growth, and equitable opportunities for all residents.

 
Quarter
Labor Pool
Employed
Unemployed
    Unemployment Rate %
     
1990 Q1 124,402117,8036,599  5.3  bar
Q2 124,895117,5827,313  5.9  bar
Q3 125,650118,1577,493  6.0  bar
Q4 124,363118,3606,003  4.8  bar
 
1991 Q1 123,580115,3488,232  6.7  bar
Q2 124,316117,3696,947  5.6  bar
Q3 124,954116,9548,000  6.4  bar
Q4 123,456116,9346,522  5.3  bar
 
1992 Q1 123,113114,8148,299  6.7  bar
Q2 122,283114,4367,847  6.4  bar
Q3 128,323119,2889,035  7.0  bar
Q4 125,776119,1346,642  5.3  bar
 
1993 Q1 125,426117,4837,943  6.3  bar
Q2 127,440120,0597,381  5.8  bar
Q3 127,089121,4865,603  4.4  bar
Q4 130,265125,4074,858  3.7  bar
 
1994 Q1 131,264124,4456,819  5.2  bar
Q2 133,310127,8525,458  4.1  bar
Q3 134,390128,5375,853  4.4  bar
Q4 136,495131,6174,878  3.6  bar
 
1995 Q1 137,581131,6155,966  4.3  bar
Q2 137,532132,1115,421  3.9  bar
Q3 139,510133,3686,142  4.4  bar
Q4 137,114132,0615,053  3.7  bar
 
1996 Q1 135,544129,1436,401  4.7  bar
Q2 135,432130,3515,081  3.8  bar
Q3 138,660132,7455,915  4.3  bar
Q4 135,954131,6604,294  3.2  bar
 
1997 Q1 135,201130,3424,859  3.6  bar
Q2 136,837132,7054,132  3.0  bar
Q3 140,194136,1114,083  2.9  bar
Q4 139,351135,0514,300  3.1  bar
 
1998 Q1 136,967132,2794,688  3.4  bar
Q2 136,184133,0443,140  2.3  bar
Q3 138,437134,9733,464  2.5  bar
Q4 137,315134,1363,179  2.3  bar
 
1999 Q1 137,218133,0424,176  3.0  bar
Q2 136,205132,8603,345  2.5  bar
Q3 136,502132,1974,305  3.2  bar
Q4 135,778131,6264,152  3.1  bar
 
2000 Q1 134,180129,1954,985  3.7  bar
Q2 134,824130,6664,158  3.1  bar
Q3 135,774131,0774,697  3.5  bar
Q4 132,225128,8613,364  2.5  bar
 
2001 Q1 132,187126,8905,297  4.0  bar
Q2 132,961127,6935,268  4.0  bar
Q3 134,905128,6666,239  4.6  bar
Q4 133,136126,5106,626  5.0  bar
 
2002 Q1 131,242123,1818,061  6.1  bar
Q2 132,080124,9197,161  5.4  bar
Q3 135,457128,0417,416  5.5  bar
Q4 133,652127,4506,202  4.6  bar
 
2003 Q1 131,922124,7817,141  5.4  bar
Q2 131,768125,1376,631  5.0  bar
Q3 134,156126,8387,318  5.5  bar
Q4 132,073125,5046,569  5.0  bar
 
2004 Q1 131,157123,7487,409  5.6  bar
Q2 132,315125,8046,511  4.9  bar
Q3 135,175127,5577,618  5.6  bar
Q4 134,552128,0196,533  4.9  bar
 
2005 Q1 132,396124,7477,649  5.8  bar
Q2 133,371126,6926,679  5.0  bar
Q3 136,130128,5357,595  5.6  bar
Q4 135,847129,4156,432  4.7  bar
 
2006 Q1 133,514126,2587,256  5.4  bar
Q2 134,243127,6586,585  4.9  bar
Q3 137,860129,6448,216  6.0  bar
Q4 136,074129,8306,244  4.6  bar
 
2007 Q1 132,635124,8927,743  5.8  bar
Q2 132,481126,1846,297  4.8  bar
Q3 134,437127,2307,207  5.4  bar
Q4 133,202127,2415,961  4.5  bar
 
2008 Q1 132,528125,4307,098  5.4  bar
Q2 133,577126,9436,634  5.0  bar
Q3 135,046125,4109,636  7.1  bar
Q4 134,215124,2649,951  7.4  bar
 
2009 Q1 131,307117,40613,901  10.6  bar
Q2 130,547116,01614,531  11.1  bar
Q3 130,500114,51915,981  12.2  bar
Q4 128,944114,65914,285  11.1  bar
 
2010 Q1 130,408114,25616,152  12.4  bar
Q2 130,991116,26014,731  11.2  bar
Q3 130,395115,13215,263  11.7  bar
Q4 130,354117,26913,085  10.0  bar
 
2011 Q1 129,465115,95113,514  10.4  bar
Q2 130,763118,56512,198  9.3  bar
Q3 130,853117,02313,830  10.6  bar
Q4 132,022119,22412,798  9.7  bar
 
2012 Q1 128,867115,66413,203  10.2  bar
Q2 127,497116,39011,107  8.7  bar
Q3 127,187114,86012,327  9.7  bar
Q4 128,560117,01011,550  9.0  bar
 
2013 Q1 127,539114,38313,156  10.3  bar
Q2 127,075116,30410,771  8.5  bar
Q3 126,781115,64411,137  8.8  bar
Q4 127,886117,9779,909  7.7  bar
 
2014 Q1 127,571117,9739,598  7.5  bar
Q2 128,995120,8738,122  6.3  bar
Q3 128,381119,6688,713  6.8  bar
Q4 130,036122,4987,538  5.8  bar
 
2015 Q1 129,017120,6268,391  6.5  bar
Q2 129,247123,2655,982  4.6  bar
Q3 130,298123,8256,473  5.0  bar
Q4 132,205126,3995,806  4.4  bar
 
2016 Q1 133,264126,5926,672  5.0  bar
Q2 134,667128,9585,709  4.2  bar
Q3 134,140128,0246,116  4.6  bar
Q4 135,244129,6325,612  4.1  bar
 
2017 Q1 134,322128,3595,963  4.4  bar
Q2 134,685130,7813,904  2.9  bar
Q3 133,697128,7964,901  3.7  bar
Q4 134,951130,5584,393  3.3  bar
 
2018 Q1 134,467129,4075,060  3.8  bar
Q2 137,014132,7514,263  3.1  bar
Q3 136,735131,7924,943  3.6  bar
Q4 137,341132,5614,780  3.5  bar
 
2019 Q1 138,032132,2895,743  4.2  bar
Q2 136,863132,9133,950  2.9  bar
Q3 138,725133,5825,143  3.7  bar
Q4 138,353133,7404,613  3.3  bar
 
2020 Q1 135,659129,9425,717  4.2  bar
Q2 127,053101,64625,407  20.0  bar
Q3 132,485116,97515,510  11.7  bar
Q4 132,149123,2898,860  6.7  bar
 
2021 Q1 130,118121,6988,420  6.5  bar
Q2 129,859123,5186,341  4.9  bar
Q3 131,153124,8446,309  4.8  bar
Q4 128,252123,8624,390  3.4  bar
 
2022 Q1 127,980123,0994,881  3.8  bar
Q2 129,986126,3183,668  2.8  bar
Q3 132,069126,7435,326  4.0  bar
Q4 129,830125,3644,466  3.4  bar
 
2023 Q1 128,994123,3465,648  4.4  bar
Q2 130,362126,1564,206  3.2  bar
Q3 131,134125,2275,907  4.5  bar
Q4 129,377124,5224,855  3.8  bar
 
2024 Q1 126,985120,9216,064  4.8  bar
Q2 128,849123,2825,567  4.3  bar
Q3 130,944123,6377,307  5.6  bar
Q4 131,960125,9276,033  4.6  bar
 


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus