COLUMBUS-Polk County’s unemployment rate was lower in 2017 than in the past decade, according to Polk County’s audit report for fiscal year 2016-2017.

Polk’s unemployment rate in 2017 was four percent, which was the lowest rate since 2008.

In 2008, Polk’s unemployment rate was 4.5 percent but in 2009 the unemployment rate grew to the highest in the decade at 8.8 percent, according to the audit report.

Polk’s unemployment rate was 8.1 percent in 2010 and fell to 7.7 percent in 2011, but grew again in 2012 to eight percent.

The unemployment rate fell to 6.9 percent in 2013 and again in 2014 to 4.7 percent, but then rose to 5.7 percent in 2015, according to the audit report. The county’s 2016 unemployment rate was 4.9 percent.

County commissioners received the annual audit report, which included statistical data about the county and trends over the last decade.

The county received information on the unemployment rates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 

Polk County’s unemployment rates 2008-2017

Year                Unemployment rate

2008               4.5 percent

2009               8.8 percent

2010               8.1 percent

2011               7.7 percent

2012               8.0 percent

2013               6.9 percent

2014               4.7 percent

2015               5.7 percent

2016               4.9 percent

2017               4.0 percent