Ohio unemployment rose 0.1% in February

0

COLUMBUS — Ohio’s unemployment rate was 5.1 percent in February 2017, up from 5.0 percent in January 2017 according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS).

Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 15,200 over the month, from a revised 5,506,800 in January to 5,522,000 in February.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in February was 294,000, up 7,000 from 287,000 in January. The number of unemployed has increased by 9,000 in the past 12 months from 285,000. The February unemployment rate for Ohio was up from 5.0 percent in February 2016.

The U.S. unemployment rate for February 2017 was 4.7 percent, 0.1 percentage points lower than in January 2017, and 0.2 percentage points lower than in February 2016.

Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 15,200 over the month, from a revised 5,506,800 in January to 5,522,000 in February 2017, according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics) in cooperation with ODJFS.

Employment in goods-producing industries, at 921,600, increased 7,000 over the month. Job gains in construction (+6,300) and manufacturing (+900) outweighed job losses in mining and logging (-200). The private service-providing sector, at 3,828,700, increased 9,200. Employment gains in leisure and hospitality (+4,000), educational and health services (+3,900), trade, transportation, and utilities (+2,000), and professional and business services (+100) surpassed losses in financial activities (-400), information (-300), and other services (-100). Government employment, at 771,700, decreased 1,000 as losses in state government (-3,100) exceeded gains in local (+1,800) and federal (+300) government.

From February 2016 to February 2017, nonagricultural wage and salary employment grew 45,400. Employment in goods-producing industries increased 13,900. Construction added 8,900 jobs. Manufacturing added 5,700 jobs as gains in nondurable goods (+7,200) surpassed losses in durable goods (-1,500). Mining and logging lost 700 jobs. The private service-providing sector added 36,100 jobs. Employment gains in educational and health services (+13,600), trade, transportation, and utilities (+9,900), financial activities (+6,700), leisure and hospitality (+5,200), professional and business services (+1,700), and information (+600) exceeded losses in other services (-1,600). Government employment decreased 4,600 as losses in state (-3,800) and local (-1,500) government outweighed gains in federal government (+700).

Among the state’s 88 counties, preliminary February 2017 unemployment rates ranged from a low of 3.7 percent in Mercer County to a high of 11.8 percent in Monroe County. From January, unemployment rates decreased in 76 counties, increased in 11 counties, and remained the same in one. The comparable unemployment rate for Ohio was 5.9 percent in February.

Ten counties had unemployment rates at or less than 4.5 percent in February. The counties with the lowest rates, other than Mercer were: Delaware, 3.8 percent; Hancock and Holmes, 4.1 percent; Auglaize and Union, 4.2 percent; Franklin, Madison, and Putnam, 4.4 percent; and Warren, 4.5 Percent.

Darke County had a 5.1 percent unemployment rate in February, putting it in the top third of Ohio’s lowest unemployment counties.

Seven counties had unemployment rates higher than 9.0 percent in February. The counties with the highest rates, other than Monroe were: Meigs, 10.2 percent; Ottawa, 9.6 percent; Adams and Noble, 9.5 percent; Morgan, 9.3 percent; and Jackson, 9.2 percent.

A map shows Ohio’s February 2017 unemployment rates county by county. Counties with the highest unemployment are in red. Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are shown in light gray.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_ColorRateMap-PRINT.jpgA map shows Ohio’s February 2017 unemployment rates county by county. Counties with the highest unemployment are in red. Counties with the lowest unemployment rates are shown in light gray. Ohio Department of Job and Family Services graphic

Staff report

No posts to display