Only two of Iowa’s 99 counties saw their unemployment rate hold steady or decrease when comparing May of last year to May of this year. According to Iowa Workforce Development, Jefferson County’s unemployment rate last month was 3.3%, slightly lower than the May of 2024 rate of 3.4%. Adair County was unchanged at 2.4% unemployment.

Washington County’s unemployment rate a year ago was 2.1% and last month it was 2.6%. 

Last month, the highest unemployment rate in the state was 6.1% in Marshall County while the lowest was 2.3% in Osceola County. 

The unemployment rate for the U.S. in May was 4.2%.