The unemployment rate in Bartholomew County, Indiana, rose to 3% in November, up from 2.3% in the previous year, as per the data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. Despite this increase, Bartholomew County’s unemployment rate remains lower than the national rate of 3.7% in November, and is among the lowest in Indiana. Likewise, unemployment in Jackson and Jennings Counties also increased, but still remained relatively low.

The increase in unemployment comes despite the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits remaining at historically low levels. For instance, in Bartholomew County, only 28 workers filed initial jobless claims in the week ending Dec. 16, down from 35 the previous week.

The Federal Reserve has sought to combat inflation by raising interest rates 11 times since March 2022. This initially led to predictions that the U.S. would slide into recession. However, the economy and job market have proven resilient, with the unemployment rate remaining below 4% for 22 consecutive months. The combination of decelerating inflation and low unemployment has led to optimism that the Federal Reserve has successfully managed to raise rates enough to control inflation without causing a recession.