County unemployment lower in February

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Unemployment decreased in all 88 Ohio counties in February, according to figures released by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Here in Van Wert County, the jobless rate decreased seventh-tenths of a percent, from 4.3 percent in January to 3.6 percent last month. According to labor force numbers 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 14,300 in January to 14,400 last month, while the number of people employed increased 300, from 13,600 to 13,900, leaving 500 people unemployed, down 100 from January.

Among neighboring counties, Van Wert County has the third lowest unemployment in February, behind Mercer County, which had the lowest jobless rate in the state at 2.9 percent, down three-tenths of a percent from January’s 3.2 percent, while Auglaize County was at 3.3 percent, down half a percent from January’s 3.8 percent.

Putnam County had the fourth lowest unemployment rate in the area at 3.8 percent, down six-tenths of a percent from January’s 4.4 percent; Paulding County was fifth at 4.2 percent, down seventh-tenths of a percent from 4.9 percent in January; and Allen County had the highest area unemployment rate at 4.4 percent, down seventh-tenths of a percent from January’s 5.1 percent.

Statewide, in addition to Mercer and Auglaize, four other counties had jobless rates at or below 3.5 percent. Those include Delaware and Holmes counties at 3.2 percent, and Hancock and Union counties at 3.4 percent.

At the high end of the scale, Monroe County had the highest unemployment in the state at 10.4 percent, while five other counties had at or above 8.5 percent in February. Meigs and Noble counties were 8.8 percent, Adams County saw unemployment at 8.7 percent, while Morgan and Ottawa counties were at 8.5 percent last month.

The comparable unemployment rate for the state was 4.7 percent in February.