There are far less people looking for a job here in the Raccoon River Valley compared to the current national average.

The number of  people out of work in Dallas, Greene and Guthrie County increased during the month of October but still remains well under the national unemployment rate .

According to Iowa Workforce Development Perry’s unemployment rate increased 0.3% last month to 3.8%, but it’s still 0.3% lower than this time last year.

Greene County also saw a 0.3% increase in October to 4.8%, which is 0.2% lower than last year’s 5% unemployment rate.

And Guthrie County’s rate went up just 0.1% last month to 4.1%.  However, it’s good news compared to October of last year when they came in a point and a half higher at 5.6%.

Iowa’s unemployment dropped one-tenth of a percent in October to 5.1 percent while the latest U.S. unemployment rate came in at 7.9 percent.