June jobless rate up locally, statewide

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Like many Ohio counties, Van Wert County’s unemployment rate rose for the second month in a row, according to figures released Tuesday by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

After a slight increase of a tenth of a percent in May, from 3.5 percent to 3.6 percent, the county’s jobless rate jumped sixth-tenths of a point, to 4.2 percent, in June. According to labor estimates compiled by the ODJFS, in conjunction with the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the county’s labor force remained the same at 14,500, as did the number of people employed: 13,900. However, the number of people without jobs rose 100, from 500 in May to 600 last month.

Among neighboring counties, Mercer County had the lowest unemployment rate, and also had the lowest in the state, although that rate increased six-tenths of a point, from 2.8 percent in May to 3.4 percent in June. Putnam County again had the second-lowest jobless rate at 3.7 percent in June, which was also up sixth-tenths of a point from May’s 3.1 percent. Auglaize County was third at 4.0 percent, up sixth-tenths of a point from 3.4 percent in May. Van Wert County was fourth, while Paulding County was fifth with an unemployment rate of 4.8 percent, up nine-tenths of a point from 3.9 percent, and Allen County had the highest jobless rate among neighboring counties at 5.3 percent, up seven-tenths of a point from 4.6 percent in May.

Statewide, all 88 Ohio counties saw an increase in unemployment in June. In addition to Mercer, Putnam, and Auglaize counties, four other counties had unemployment rates at or below 4.0 percent. Those included Delaware, Hancock, Holmes and Wyandot, all at 3.9 percent.

Eight states had unemployment rates above 7.0 percent in June. Those include Meigs County, 8.2 percent; Monroe County, 8.1 percent; Jefferson County, 7.5 percent; Scioto County, 7.4 percent; Athens County, 7.3 percent; Coshocton and Jackson counties, 7.2 percent; and Pike County, 7.1 percent. The comparable unemployment rate for Ohio was 5.4 percent in June.