FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — The Fort Wayne metropolitan area’s unemployment rate fell to 3.3% in July, down from 3.8% a year earlier, according to new data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

The latest figures show the local labor market remained relatively steady heading into the second half of the year.

The Fort Wayne metro area’s workforce totaled 240,906 people in July, slightly below the 241,278 recorded in July 2025. However, the number of people age 16 and older who were employed increased to 233,056, compared with 231,993 a year earlier.

The number of unemployed workers also dropped by 1,435 compared with July 2025.

Among northeast Indiana counties, Allen County reported a 3.3% unemployment rate. Whitley County’s rate was 3%, while Wells County recorded 2.8%, the lowest rate in the region.

Grant County had the highest unemployment rate in northeast Indiana at 4.1%. Noble County’s 3.6% rate matched the statewide figure.

Across Indiana, Pulaski County had the lowest unemployment rate at 2.7%, while Howard County had the highest at 4.9%.

Rachel Blakeman, director of the Purdue University Fort Wayne Community Research Institute, said the Fort Wayne metro area and northeast Indiana continue to show relatively strong employment numbers.

Blakeman said local labor data could shift in the coming months as students return to school and seasonal summer jobs end. Those changes are expected because the local unemployment figures are not adjusted for seasonal factors.

She also noted that the overall numbers do not necessarily reflect the experience of every job seeker, particularly workers with specialized skills that do not match current employer demand.

Still, Blakeman said the region’s labor market appears to be in a solid position as 2026 moves into its second half.