Jobless rate drops in 7 area counties

Jeff Miles spent nearly seven months looking for work before he was called back to work by his former employer.

Miles was part of the trend to work documented in recently released unemployment rates. September's jobless rates show the number of unemployed decreased in the seven-county area for the third straight month.

By the numbers

The unemployment rate dropped in all seven area counties for September compared to the jobless rate last month. For a look back, here are the area counties and the jobless rate percentages in August and a year ago in September 2008 and two years ago in September 2007.

Aitkin: 8.7, 6.9, 5.6.

Cass: 8.5, 7, 5.3.

Crow Wing: 7.9, 6.2, 4.9.

Mille Lacs: 11.1, 8.1, 6.8.

Morrison: 9.6, 6.3, 4.8.

Todd: 8.2, 6.2, 4.8.

Wadena: 9.3, 7.2, 5.9.

- Source: Department of Employment and Economic Development

For September, the unemployment rates for area counties were:

Aitkin County, 8.1 percent.

Cass County, 7.9 percent.

Crow Wing County, 7.4 percent.

Mille Lacs County, 10.5 percent.

Morrison County, 9 percent.

Todd County, 7.5 percent.

Wadena County, 8.8 percent.

The jobless rate means there are 8,889 people unemployed out of a seven-county work force of 107,499, according to the state Department of Employment and Economic Development.

Miles spent 15 years with Lakeland Mold in Brainerd before his job was eliminated in January. While job hunting, Miles was told multiple times he was qualified for jobs that wouldn't be filled because of the recession. A manufacturing engineer and finish specialist who worked in research and development and process improvements, Miles returned to Lakeland Mold but in a different job. He is now the weekend shift team lead.

Working weekends means less time with his family, but Miles said there is relief in knowing there is a steady income to pay the bills. He's now back to working full weeks after starting back with the company on a reduced schedule.

"I don't believe the recession is over by any means," Miles said. "It will take a few years to get back on track."

Of the seven-county area, Crow Wing County records the largest work force with 34,982, followed by Morrison County with a work force of 18,097. Cass County, with a work force 15,084, rounds out the top three.

Brainerd's unemployment rate for September was 12.2 percent, meaning there were 942 people unemployed from a work force of 7,751. Brainerd's jobless rate is a decrease from 13.9 percent recorded in August.

Brainerd's unemployment rate, once the highest in the state for a city with a population more than 10,000, has decreased each month since recording a high of 21 percent in January. The city's unemployment rate did not drop below 20 percent until May. The unemployment rate in Brainerd was 9.9 percent in September of 2008, 7.8 percent in September of 2007 and 6.1 percent in September of 2006.

For the larger Brainerd micropolitan area, the September jobless rate was 7.6 percent - a decrease from 8.1 percent in August. The micropolitan jobless rate was 13 percent in January, which was the highest unemployment rate listed going back to 1990. The Brainerd micropolitan area includes Crow Wing and Cass counties.

Going back to 2000, area county jobless rates have fluctuated up and down between August and September.

Historically, the jobless rate has dropped again from September to October before traditional increases in unemployment arrive in November and December to coincide with winter's onset.

RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.