LONDON: Watertown’s unemployment rate for March rose to 3.7 percent compared to 3.3 percent from March of 2016. The total amount of labor force also dropped. There were 556 unemployed in the Watertown Micropolitan Statistical Area out of a workforce of 15,226 for March. In March 2016, the workforce total was 15,379.
Watertown’s unemployment rate was 3.8 percent the previous month. Out of the state’s top 10 largest cities, Watertown had the highest unemployment rate. Rapid City was next highest at 3.3 percent, followed by Mitchell (3.0 percent) and Aberdeen, Huron, Pierre and Yankton all at 2.9 percent. Sioux Falls had the lowest jobless rate at 2.7 percent, followed by Brookings at 2.8 percent. The national unemployment rate in March was 4.5 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Department.