SCOTTBURG — The regional unemployment rate for Economic Growth Region 10 (EGR 10) experienced a slight increase in May, creeping up to 3.5% from 3.1% in April, according to the latest data released by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD).
The regional rate matches the 3.5% jobless figure recorded at the same time last year. EGR 10, which encompasses Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, and Washington counties, currently sits slightly higher than Indiana’s overall non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.2%.
County-by-County Breakdown
Scott County recorded the highest jobless rate in the region at 3.8%, making it the third-highest unemployed county out of Indiana’s 92 counties. Conversely, Washington County logged the lowest unemployment rate in the immediate area at 3.2%.
The full county-by-county non-seasonally adjusted breakdown for May 2026 includes:
- Scott County: 3.8% (Up from 3.2% in April)
- Clark County: 3.6% (Up from 3.2% in April)
- Crawford County: 3.6% (Up from 3.1% in April)
- Floyd County: 3.5% (Up from 3.1% in April)
- Harrison County: 3.5% (Up from 3.1% in April)
- Washington County: 3.2% (Up from 2.8% in April)
Among local cities, Scottsburg reported the highest rate at 4.8%, while the City of Salem sat at 4.0%.
Manufacturing Drives Unemployment Claims
An analysis of the region’s top industries shows that the manufacturing sector generated the highest percentage of local unemployment insurance claims in May, accounting for 17.9% of the total regional distribution.
Other top industries for claims in Region 10 include:
- Health & Social Assistance: 13.5%
- Administrative, Support, & Waste Management: 8.6%
- Retail Trade: 7.6%
- Professional and Technical Services: 6.5%
Total weekly unemployment claims within Region 10 remained relatively steady throughout the month, starting at 532 total claims during the week ending May 2, 2026, and ending at 522 total claims by May 30. Encouragingly, the DWD reported zero formal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notices for major corporate layoffs or closures within the region for the month of May.
Job Market and Hiring Demand
Despite the small bump in local unemployment percentages, labor demand remains remarkably high. Statewide, Indiana reported 94,059 open job postings as of May 31.
According to tracking data from Lightcast, the top three most-frequently listed occupations in Region 10 over the past month were Registered Nurses, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers, and Retail Salespersons.
Data from Indiana Career Connect also revealed a robust local applicant pool. Over the past 12 months, the top occupations desired by regional job seekers submitting resumes were Customer Service Representatives and Production Workers.
The Broader Economic Picture
On a broader scale, Indiana’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 3.3%, which is significantly lower than the national average of 4.3%.
However, Hoosier consumers continue to feel the pinch of regional inflation. The Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) tracking for the Midwest region shows an unadjusted 12-month spike of 5.0% across all tracked consumer items compared to May 2025. Transportation costs in the Midwest saw the sharpest annual surge, climbing a staggering 10.1% over the year, followed closely by apparel costs at 6.1% and overall housing costs at 4.6%.
