Unemployment rate rises for VW County

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Unemployment rose a bit in October — in Van Wert County and a majority of other Ohio counties — according to statistics released this week by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. The jobless rate increased in 84 of Ohio’s 88 counties, while unemployment decreased in just one county and remained the same in three counties.

After dropping three-tenths of a percent in September, from 3.5 percent to 3.2 percent, the county’s unemployment rate rose two-tenths of a percent last month, to 3.4 percent. According to workforce statistics provided by the ODJFS, in conjunction with the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, Van Wert County had a total workforce of 14,400 people, up 100 from September, with 13,900 of those employed the same as the month before, as was the number of people unemployed, which remained at an estimated 500 people.

Local counties were among the lowest in the state, with Mercer and Putnam counties the only two counties with unemployment rates at or below 3 percent.

Mercer County had the lowest unemployment in the state at 2.7 percent, up two-tenths of a percent from September’s 2.5 percent, while Putnam County was second at 3 percent, up two-tenths of a percent from 2.8 percent the month prior.

Auglaize County had the fifth lowest jobless rate at 3.2 percent, up two-tenths over September’s rate of 3.0 percent, while Van Wert County’s 3.4 percent was the ninth lowest unemployment rate in Ohio. Paulding County’s jobless rate increased to 4.1 percent, a rise of four-tenths of a percent from September’s 3.7 percent, while Allen County had an unemployment rate of 4.2 percent, up two-tenths of a percent from the 4.0 percent jobless rate in September.

Statewide, five counties had unemployment rates at or above 6 percent in October. Those included Adams County, which had the highest jobless rate at 6.5 percent; Monroe County, 6.3 percent; Scioto County, 6.1 percent; and Pike and Trumbull counties, 6.0 percent.

Ohio’s comparable unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in October.