Understanding labor market information is essential for anyone working to strengthen the workforce, whether they are training providers, employers, policy partners or community organizations. But the data alone is not enough. Communities need interpreters — organizations that can explain what the numbers mean and how they should influence program decisions, talent strategies and career planning.
As Marion County’s workforce development board, EmployIndy plays that role every day.
Each month, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development releases the Hoosiers by the Numbers Labor Market Review, providing data on employment, unemployment, and job trends.
Here are highlights from the December 2025 Labor Market Review to help our community understand the labor market conditions affecting Marion County (Region 12) and surrounding counties including Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Madison, Morgan and Shelby counties (Region 12). This data can help strengthen planning, improve service delivery, and deepen alignment between training programs and employer needs.
KEY FINDINGS
Unemployment remains low, creating hiring challenges
Central Indiana continues to experience historically low unemployment, ranging from 2.5% to 2.8%. While this benefits workers, the tight labor market makes it difficult for many employers to fill open positions, especially in high-demand occupations.
Job growth has slowed
Job growth across the region has leveled off, with small month-over-month declines and little change compared with last year. This slowdown does not signal a weakening economy, but it does suggest the labor market is stabilizing after several years of rapid change.
Demand for talent and job seeker interest are misaligned
Employers continue to report strong demand for registered nurses, commercial truck drivers with CDLs, maintenance and repair workers, retail supervisors, and customer service representatives. Job seekers, however, are showing more interest in general labor, material moving, landscaping, and accounting. This misalignment contributes to ongoing labor market gaps where job seekers are not seeking training for current and upcoming employment opportunities.
A large pool of potential workers remains untapped
More than 160,000 Hoosiers are considered potential workers — individuals who are unemployed or not currently seeking work but interested in returning to employment. Reengaging these workers is a major opportunity for closing workforce gaps and meeting employer demand.
How You Can Use This Information
Labor market data is most valuable when it informs strategy. Community organizations and training providers can use these insights to guide career coaching and training toward high-demand fields such as health care, transportation and logistics, skilled trades and frontline supervision. Partners also can help participants understand immediate job opportunities as well as longer-term career pathways in these industries.
Short-term, high-value credentials, including nursing support certifications, CDL training or industrial maintenance programs, can help job seekers connect quickly to stable, well-paying careers.
Employers can use these findings to review hiring practices, retention strategies, wage competitiveness, and opportunities for skill-building and internal mobility. Many employers may benefit from partnering more closely with workforce organizations to develop customized training, work and learn models and on the job learning pathways.
EmployIndy is Your Data Partner
The labor market is dynamic, and numbers alone rarely tell the full story. EmployIndy serves as both a source and an interpreter of labor market information for our community.
By combining trusted data with deep relational knowledge of Marion County’s workforce landscape, EmployIndy helps job seekers make informed career decisions, supports employers in finding and developing talent, guides training providers in building data-driven programs, and helps community organizations align services with real workforce needs.