VW County sees dip in July unemployment

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

After increasing nearly a percentage point in June, unemployment decreased slightly in July in Van Wert County, according to figures released Tuesday by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

The county followed a statewide trend that saw 76 of Ohio’s 88 counties with decreased unemployment, while eight counties had higher jobless rates, and four counties saw no change during the month.

Van Wert and two of its neighboring counties — Mercer and Paulding — saw lower unemployment in July. Van Wert County unemployment decreased a tenth of a percent, from 4.1 percent in June to 4.0 percent last month; Mercer County was down three-tenths of a percent, from 3.3 percent in June to 3.0 percent last month, while Paulding County saw its unemployment decrease four-tenths of a percent, from 4.7 percent two months ago to 4.3 percent in July.

Jobless rates increased in Allen and Putnam counties, with Allen County up two-tenths of a percent, from 5.1 percent to 5.3 percent, while Putnam County increased a tenth of a percent, from 3.7 percent in June to 3.8 percent last month. Unemployment remained the same in Auglaize County at 3.9 percent for both months.

Four area counties, Mercer, Putnam, Auglaize, and Van Wert, were among the 16 counties with unemployment rates at or below 4.0 percent in July. Other counties on the list were Wyandot County, 3.4 percent; Delaware, Hancock, Holmes, and Union counties, 3.7 percent; Wayne County, 3.8 percent; Logan and Williams counties, 3.9 percent; and Darke, Madison, Miami, and Shelby counties, 4.0 percent.

Nine counties had unemployment rates at or above 6.5 percent in July, led by Monroe County at 7.5 percent. The other counties are as follows: Adams County, 7.2 percent; Huron and Meigs counties, 7.0 percent; Athens and Scioto counties, 6.9 percent; and Coshocton, Jefferson, and Trumbull counties, 6.6 percent.

Ohio’s comparable unemployment rate for July was 4.9 percent.