The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has issued its June report of unemployment rates around the State, which report lists Starke County with the State's 5th highest level of unemployment at 10.3%, up one-tenth from May's revised rate of 10.2%.  The State as a whole also increased from 8.1% in May to 8.3% in June, while the national unemployment rate rose from 9.1% up to 9.2% for the month.  Indiana continued to have the lowest rate among its contiguous states, with Ohio at 8.8%, Illinois at 9.2%, Kentucky at 9.6%, and Michigan at 10.5%.

Even at the reported rate of 10.3%, Starke County has seen a decrease in such rate from 12.1% in January of 2011.

Indiana has finished in 6th place in this year's survey of over 500 Chief Executive Officers to determine the best locations for business, up from #16 in last year's survey.  This survey was conducted by Chief Executive Magazine, in which corporate leaders were asked questions about taxation, regulatory environment, quality of life, workforce quality, and other issues considered essential to a business-friendly environment.

Indiana was the only Midwestern state to finish in the top ten, while three neighboring states all fell in the bottom 10, including Ohio at #41, Michigan at #46, and Illinois at #48.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has issued its June unemployment report, which found that the national unemployment rate grew from the May rate of 9.1% up to 9.2%.  A much less than anticipated number of new jobs was credited for the increase.  This is the third month in a row that the national rate has increased, going from 8.8% back in March.

CNBC has recently issued its 2011 report on the "Top States for Business" which listing found Indiana to be listed at #15 after one year at #21.  The CNBC listing seeks to determine how well a state does with respect to what it touts itself at being good at in its effort to sell itself.  There are a total of 10 categories looked at, with Indiana finsihing at #8 for cost of doing business, and at #10 for business friendliness.  In all, Indiana finished in the top 25 states in a total of 7 of the 10 categories, and in the top 15 in 5 of the categories.

In terms of its contiguous midwestern states, Indiana was the clear leader, followed by Illinois at #22, Ohio at #23, Michigan at #34, and Kentucky at #35.