Indiana Business Pulse
Lake County economic snapshot
The indicators behind hiring, pricing, and borrowing decisions in the Lake County area, drawn from federal labor, price, and lending data and updated as each release is published.
Unemployment rate
4.7%
up 0.4 points from May 2026
as of June 2026National
4.4%
as of July 2026
12-month trend
The share of the local labor force actively seeking work. A lower rate means a tighter labor market and stronger competition for qualified staff.
Inflation
3.8%
down 1.2 points from May 2026
as of June 2026National3.5%as of June 2026
The year-over-year change in consumer prices across the Midwest. No Indiana-specific index is published, so this is the closest official measure.
Bank prime lending rate
6.75%
unchanged
as of July 2026The benchmark most small-business loans and lines of credit are priced against. Borrowers typically pay prime plus a margin set by the lender.
Local hiring pool
234,985
up 2,483 from May 2026
as of June 2026Unemployed11,601as of June 2026
People employed and people actively seeking work in this area — the labor pool available to local employers.
New business formations
Indiana8,386
up 134 from May 2026
as of June 2026Likely to hire2,324as of June 2026
Applications for a new employer identification number filed across Indiana, a leading indicator of business starts. The Census Bureau publishes this series at state level only.
What the numbers say about Lake County
The unemployment rate in Lake County was 4.7% in June 2026, up 0.4 points from May 2026. That compares with 4.4% nationally in July 2026.
Consumer prices across the Midwest rose 3.8% over the year to June 2026, down 1.2 points from May 2026. No Indiana-specific price index is published, so the Midwest region is the closest official measure available to businesses here.
The bank prime lending rate — the benchmark most small-business loans and lines of credit are priced against — stood at 6.75% in July 2026.
234,985 people were employed in Lake County in June 2026, up 2,483 from May 2026. Alongside them, 11,601 people were actively seeking work.
8,386 applications for a new employer identification number were filed across Indiana in June 2026, up 134 from May 2026, a leading indicator of new business starts.
All indicators at a glance
| Indicator | Latest | Period | Change | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | up 0.4 points from May 2026 | National: 4.4% | |
| Inflation | 3.8% | down 1.2 points from May 2026 | National: 3.5% | |
| Bank prime lending rate | 6.75% | unchanged | — | |
| Local hiring pool | 234,985 | up 2,483 from May 2026 | Unemployed: 11,601 | |
| New business formations(Indiana) | 8,386 | up 134 from May 2026 | Likely to hire: 2,324 |
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