TOPEKA, Kan. — The latest numbers from the Kansas Department of Labor show the unemployment rate dropped some locally, both in the city of Hutchinson and Reno County.
The rate for Hutchinson in August was 4.9 percent, down from 5.3 percent in July and 5.8 percent in August of last year. There were just over a thousand people looking for work last month in the city. The rate for Reno County dropped in August to 4.5 percent, down from 4.9 percent in July and 5.4 percent in August of 2013. There were 1,488 residents of the county looking for work in August, but most of those were in the city.
The rate in August for surrounding counties also looked good. Harvey County’s rate is 4.8 percent, Kingman at 3.4 percent, McPherson County at 3.6 percent, Pratt County at 3 percent, Rice County at 3.5 percent and Stafford at 4.1 percent. Sedgwick County is the biggest county in the area and their dropped from 6.5 percent in July to 5.8 percent in August.
The state’s August seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.9 percent, unchanged from July and down from 5.5 percent in August 2013.