Johnston Area's Unemployment Rate Holds Steady, As Does Iowa's

The unemployment rate in the Des Moines metro area -- which includes Johnston -- was unchanged, as was Polk County's unemployment rate in November, according to the latest report from Iowa Workforce Development.

Polk County's rate stayed the same from October to November at 4.8 percent.

The unemployment rate also remained unchanged in the Des Moines metro, the state said, at 4.6 percent in November, the same as the month before.

In Polk County, unemployment fell from 5.5 percent in November 2011 to 4.8 percent a year later.

“Iowa’s unemployment rate reached a milestone in November,” said Teresa Wahlert, director of Iowa Workforce Development, in a news release. “November marked the first time since December 2008 that the state’s jobless rate was lower than 5.0 percent.”

Across Iowa, the unemployment rate fell from October's 5.1 percent to 4.8 percent in December. Nationally, the rate fell from 7.9 to 7.7 percent.