Ohio Unemployment Remains at 4.2% for 3rd Month

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s statewide unemployment rate was 4.2% in December, unchanged from the previous two months, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported Friday morning. 

Last month’s unemployment rate was down 0.3% from 4.5% in December 2021.

The U.S. unemployment rate for December was 3.5%, down from 3.6% in the month before and down from 3.9% in December 2021, according to household survey data.

The labor force participation rate last month was 61.2%, down from 61.3% in November and down from 61.5% in December 2021. During the same period, the national labor force participation rate was 62.3%, up from 62.2% in November 2022 and up from 62.0% in December 2021.

Nonagricultural wage and salary employment in Ohio increased 1,900 over the month, from a revised 5,506,700 in November to 5,508,600 in December, according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor in cooperation with ODJFS.

Employment in goods-producing industries, at 945,900, increased 4,300 as gains in manufacturing exceeded losses in construction and mining and logging.

The private service-providing sector, at 3,808,700, lost 1,200 jobs. Losses in professional and business services; information; financial activities; and trade, transportation, and utilities outweighed gains in leisure and hospitality; educational and health services; and other services.

Government employment, at 754,000, decreased 1,200 with losses in local, state and federal government.

Year-over-year in December, nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 105,600.

Employment in goods-producing industries increased 31,600 over the year. Manufacturing added 22,800 jobs in durable and nondurable goods.

Construction added 8,500 jobs, and mining and logging gained 300 jobs. Employment in the private service-providing sector increased 61,500. Gains in leisure and hospitality; educational and health services; trade, transportation and utilities; other services; information; and financial activities surpassed losses in professional and business services.

Government employment increased 12,500 with gains in local federal (+600); and state (+400) government.

City, county and metropolitan area data will be released Tuesday.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.