By: Chelsie Firestone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
Both Williams and Fulton County once again saw improved unemployment rates that moved each county from 4.7% in August to 4.2% in September. The identical unemployment ratings move Williams and Fulton Counties from 49th and 50th to 53rd and 54th in the state ranking system, which rates counties with the lowest rates highest.
This improvement of unemployment ratings is echoed both state and nation wide with the U.S. rate at 5.8%, down from 5.9% in August and 7.2% one year ago. Similarly, Ohio’s unemployment, at 5.3%, is down from 5.6% in August and 7.4% 12 one year ago. Unemployment rates fell in 84 of Ohio’s 88 counties.
Statewide, unemployment ranged from a low of 2.7% in Mercer County to a high of 9.5% in Monroe County. Counties in Ohio with the lowest rates included Mercer (2.7%), Holmes (2.9%), Auglaize (3.2%), Delaware (3.3%), Hancock (3.4%), and Putnam (3.5%). Counties with the highest rates included Monroe (9.5%), Jackson (7.1%), and Meigs (7.0%)
Throughout the state, job growth was seen in leisure and hospitality (+9600), professional and business services (+1800), education and health services (+1100), financial activities (+1100), mining and logging (+100), and information (+100). Losses were seen in state government (-4500); construction (-2800); local government (-2500); manufacturing (-1200); trade, transportation, and utilities (-700); other services (-600); and federal government (-400). With the growth the number of unemployed for the month was 305,000, down from 319,000 in August and 424,000 one year ago.
Ohioans wishing to learn more about unemployment benefits or who are in search of a job can visit www.ohiomeansjobs.com. The information in this article and the monthly statistical analysis it is based upon are also available at http://jfs.ohio.gov/ocomm.
Chelsie can be reached at chelsie@thevillagereporter.com