County unemployment rate down slightly

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert County unemployment estimates dropped slightly during October, according to information released Tuesday by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

After a slight increase in September, the county’s jobless rate decreased a tenth of a percent, from 3.9 percent to 3.8 percent, last month.

According to figures provided by the ODJFS, in conjunction with the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, estimate that the county’s workforce decreased from 14,400 to 14,300 people, while those employed also dropped 100, from 13,800 to 13,700, in October. The number of people employed also decreased by 100, from 600 in September to 500 last month.

The county’s unemployment figures mirrored statewide trends, with 75 of Ohio’s 88 counties seeing a decrease in unemployment, while unemployment figures in seven counties were unchanged, and the jobless rate increased in six counties.

Mercer County had the lowest unemployment rate among neighboring counties, as well as Ohio, at 3.0 percent, down from 3.2 percent in September. Putnam County was the second lowest, at 3.3 percent, a decrease of two-tenths of a percent from September’s 3.5 percent. Auglaize County’s unemployment rate was 3.6 percent in October, down from 3.8 percent the month before, while Paulding County followed Van Wert with a jobless rate of 4.2 percent, down two-tenths of a percent from September’s 4.4 percent. Allen County was highest among neighboring counties at 4.7 percent in October, down three-tenths of a percent from September’s 5.0 percent.

Statewide, six counties had unemployment rates at or under 3.5 percent. Mercer County was lowest at 3.0 percent and Putnam County was second at 3.3 percent, while Delaware, Hancock, Holmes, and Wyandot counties had an unemployment rate of 3.4 percent.

On the other end of the spectrum, six counties had unemployment rates at or above 7.0 percent in October. They included Monroe County, which had the highest jobless rate at 9.1 percent, while Noble County was next at 7.5 percent, Jackson and Meigs counties were at 7.1 percent, and Morgan County had an unemployment rate of 7.0 percent.

The comparable unemployment rate for Ohio was 4.6 percent in October.