County unemployment up slightly in May

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert County followed a statewide trend in seeing slightly higher unemployment in May, according to figures released Tuesday by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Of Ohio’s 88 counties, 53 saw an increase in unemployment, while the jobless rate decreased in 27 counties, and remained the same in eight counties.

The county’s May unemployment rate was 3.6 percent, up a tenth of a percent from April’s 3.5 percent.

According to statistics compiled by the ODJFS, in conjunction with the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the county’s workforce increased 100 people, from 14,400 in April to 14,500 last month. In addition, the number of people employed dropped 100, from 14,000 to 13,900. The number of unemployed workers remained the same at 500.

Neighboring counties also saw a slight increase in unemployment in May. Mercer County led the state with the lowest unemployment, but saw that figure rise from 2.5 percent in April to 2.8 percent last month. Putnam County had the second lowest rate among neighboring counties at 3.1 percent, up a tenth from April’s 3.0 percent. Auglaize County’s unemployment rate was 3.4 percent in May, an increase of a tenth of a percent over April’s 3.3 percent.

Van Wert County was next, with Paulding County seeing an increase of three-tenths of a percent, from 3.6 percent in April to 3.9 percent last month. Allen County again had the highest unemployment rate in the area at 4.6 percent, up a tenth from April’s 4.5 percent.

Statewide, in addition to Mercer, Putnam, and Auglaize counties, seven counties had unemployment rates at or below 3.5 percent in May. Those include Holmes County, 3.1 percent; Delaware, Hancock, and Wyandot, 3.2 percent; Union County, 3.4 percent; and Madison and Wayne counties, 3.5 percent.

At the other end of the spectrum, eight counties had unemployment rates above 6 percent in May. Those include Monroe County, 7.2 percent; Jefferson County, 6.8 percent; Meigs County, 6.5 percent; Jackson County, 6.2 percent; and Cuyahoga, Lorain, Scioto, and Trumbull counties, 6.1 percent.

Ohio’s adjusted unemployment rate for May was 4.6 percent.