Local unemployment rates dropped in October, following similar declines in the state.
Williams County’s October rate (not seasonally adjusted) rate was 4.1 percent, down from 4.4 in September. Fulton County was at 4.0 down from 4.2 the previous month.
The state’s not seasonally adjusted rate was 4.6 percent for October, while the national rate stood at 4.7 percent.
Ohio’s seasonally adjusted rate for October was 4.9 percent, up from 4.8 in September. The national rate was 4.9 percent, down from 5.0 percent in September. The state’s rate last year was 4.7 percent. The U.S. rate was 5.0 percent.
Area counties show Lucas at 5.0, Henry, 4.0; Paulding, 4.2; Defiance, 4.3 and Wood 4.0.
Statewide, Mercer County has the lowest rate at 3.0 percent, while Monroe has the highest at 9.1 percent.
Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment decreased 2,800 over the month, from a revised 5,499,400 in September to 5,496,600 in October 2016, according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics) in cooperation with ODJFS.
The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in October was 280,000, up 5,000 from 275,000 in September. The number of unemployed has increased by 15,000 in the past 12 months from 265,000. The October unemployment rate for Ohio was 0.2 percentage points higher than the October 2015 rate of 4.7 percent.
Goods-producing industries, at 907,500, added 6,400 jobs in manufacturing (+3,500), construction (+2,500), and mining and logging (+400).
The private service-providing sector, at 3,809,900, lost 6,000 jobs.
Employment losses in professional and business services (-5,000), trade, transportation, and utilities (-2,000), other services (-1,600), and financial activities (-100) exceeded gains in leisure and hospitality (+1,600), educational and health services (+600), and information (+500).
Government employment, at 779,200, decreased 3,200 in local (-2,500) and state (-700) government. Federal government employment did not change over the month.
From October 2015 to October 2016, nonagricultural wage and salary employment grew 50,500. Employment in goods-producing industries increased 400.
Construction added 4,200 jobs, manufacturing decreased 2,100 as losses in durable goods (-8,100) exceeded gains in nondurable goods (+6,000), and mining and logging lost 1,700 jobs.
The private service-providing sector added 38,000 jobs. Gains in educational and health services (+12,000), leisure and hospitality (+11,300), financial activities (+8,300), trade, transportation, and utilities (+7,000), other services (+4,700), and information (+600) exceeded losses in professional and business services (-5,900).
Government employment increased 12,100 in local (+6,700), state (+3,700), and federal (+1,700) government.
James Pruitt may be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com