“Little by little, we appear to be inching our way back. We're a long way from where Iowa jobs stood near the end of 2008, but recent gains hold some promise,” said Christine Ralston, research associate for the nonpartisan Iowa Policy Project (IPP), which tracks state job trends.

As happened a month before, Iowa’s jobless rate rose in the month from 6.6 percent to 6.7 percent. For both October and September, the seasonally adjusted rates have been revised down a tenth of a percentage point after further analysis.

The rate remains historically high, but is leveling off after spiking in the middle of this year. The rate stood at 4.3 percent in November 2008, rising by half, to 6.2 percent, by June. Since July, the rate has ranged from 6.5 percent to the most recent 6.7 percent for November.

Iowa’s payroll, or nonfarm, job level stood at 1,483,300 in November, up from 1,479,000 in October. While nonfarm jobs have declined in eight of the last 12 months and are down 35,200 from a year earlier, the trends are improving in recent months.

Nonfarm jobs have shown net gains in three of the last four months, averaging 1,800 per month. The 4,300 gain for November was the largest one-month boost in over two years.*

Most industry sectors gained or showed little change during the month, with the exception of a 1,300 drop in leisure and hospitality jobs.

Trade, transportation and utilities led gaining sectors with a 2,100 increase for the month, as professional and business services, manufacturing, and other services each posted gains of 1,000 or more.

Over the last 12 months, the biggest changes have come in manufacturing, down 21,600 and construction, down 9,100. Education and health services, up 4,400, is one of only two sectors posting a net gain since November 2008 — the other being financial activities, up 700.

The Iowa Policy Project (IPP) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit research and policy analysis organization based in Mount Vernon, with its principal office in Iowa City. IPP reports on job trends and other public policy issues facing Iowa are at www.iowapolicyproject.org.

* The November nonfarm job increase of 4,300 was the largest over one month since a 4,800 increase for June 2007.