DES MOINES, Iowa—Iowa’s labor force participation rate increased in June to 68.7 percent, up from 68.5 percent in May. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 2.7 percent. Meanwhile, the U.S. unemployment rate decreased to 3.6 percent.

Locally, the unadjusted county rates showed increases from May to June. Boone County went from 2.4 percent in May to 2.8 percent in June. Story County saw a 6-tenths of a percent increase to 2.5 percent in June. Polk County had an increase of 5 tenths of a percent to 3 percent.

Other increases in the area included Dallas County up 3-tenths of percent to 2.3 percent, Greene County saw a significant increase from 1.8 percent to 3 percent, Webster County was up to 3.7 percent from 2.7 percent in May and Hamilton County had a rate of 2.8 percent in June, up from 2.4 percent in May.

(contributed information, IWD)