The unemployment rate in Elkhart County remained largely unchanged in May despite the area’s work force growing by nearly 2,000.

In May the jobless rate dipped to 8.6 percent from 8.7 percent in April. Meanwhile, the total number of workers in the labor force increased to 96,552 from April’s 94,686.

Elkhart County now has the 27th highest unemployment rate in the state. Fayette County leads the list with 10.6 percent and Dubois has the lowest rate at 5.4 percent.

For Indiana as a whole, the seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate inched up to 7.8 percent in May from 7.7 percent the month prior. The trade, transportation and utilities sector added 4,200 new jobs, the most of any sector.

The cities of Elkhart and Goshen also saw drops in unemployment but the City with a Heart remains stubbornly stuck in double digits. For May, Elkhart posted a jobless rate of 10.4 percent, down from 11.0 while Goshen slipped to 7.8 percent from 8.3 percent.