County jobless rate up 3rd straight month

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Unemployment has increased for the third month in a row in Van Wert County, according to estimates provided Tuesday by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. The county followed a statewide trend that saw 50 of Ohio’s 88 counties experience an increase in joblessness, while 28 counties saw no change in unemployment, and 10 counties saw a decrease in their jobless percentage.

After a hike of six-tenths of a percent in June, from 3.6 percent in May to 4.2 percent, July’s jobless rate for Van Wert County was 4.7 percent, an increase of a half-percent over last month.

According to workforce estimates provided by the ODJFS, in conjunction with the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the county’s workforce shrunk 100 people, from 14,500 in June to 14,400 last month. The number of people employed also decreased 100 people, from 13,900 to 13,800, while those unemployed also increased by 100, from 600 in June to 700 last month.

Among neighboring counties, Mercer County had the lowest unemployment rate at 3.5 percent, which was also the lowest in the state, but up a tenth of a percent from June’s 3.4 percent. Putnam County was second at 4.1 percent, up four-tenths of a percent from 3.7 percent two months ago. Auglaize County was close behind at 4.2 percent, which was an increase of two-tenths of a percent over June’s 4.0 percent jobless rate.

Van Wert was next at 4.7 percent, followed by Paulding County’s 5.0-percent unemployment, up two-tenths of a percent from June’s 4.8 percent. Allen County had the highest unemployment rate among neighboring counties at 5.9 percent, up six-tenths of a percent over June’s jobless figures.

Statewide, only four counties had unemployment rates at or below 4 percent. In addition to Mercer County’s 3.5 percent, Delaware and Wyandot counties were at 3.9 percent, while Holmes County squeaked by at 4.0 percent.

Seven counties had jobless rates at or above 7.5 percent in July, led by Trumbull County’s 8.7 percent. Others at the high end of the unemployment estimates were Meigs County, 8.5 percent; Mahoning County, 8.1 percent; Huron and Monroe counties, 8.0 percent; and Athens and Jefferson counties, 7.5 percent.

Ohio’s comparable unemployment rate was 5.5 percent in July.