INDIANAPOLIS, Ind – Indiana’s unemployment rate stands at 3.6 percent for December and remains lower than the national rate of 3.9 percent. With the exception of one month when it was equal (October 2014), Indiana’s unemployment rate now has been below the U.S. rate for more than five years.

The number show that the unemployment rate did not change from November to December but the rate is .2% higher than a year ago at this time.

Indiana’s labor force had a net increase of 1,543 over the previous month.

Indiana’s total labor force, which includes both Hoosiers employed and those seeking employment, stands at 3.40 million, and the state’s 65.1 percent labor force participation rate remains above the national rate of 63.1 percent.