Ohio Unemployment Drops to 8.9%, Most Sectors Add Jobs

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s unemployment rate was 8.9% in July, down two percentage points from June, according to the Department of Job and Family Services, as nonagricultural employment increased 62,700 over the course of the month.

The number is also down from the state’s pandemic peak of 13.9% in May, but still far ahead of the 4.2% reported in July 2019.

Nationally, the unemployment rate was 10.2% last month, down from 11.1% in June but up from 3.7% in July 2019.

Employment in goods-producing industries fell 2,000 to 875,900, with the 3,700 job losses in manufacturing and 300 losses in mining and logging offsetting the 2,000 construction jobs added.

The private service sector added 59,800 jobs, with the largest gains seen in leisure and hospitality (25,100), educational and health services (15,700) and professional and business services (14,700). Also adding jobs were the information sector (1,100), financial activities (400) and “other services” (4,600). The only sector loss was in trade, transportation and utilities, which was down 1,800.

Year over year, nonagricultural employment was down 495,100, with every sector seeing fewer people employed than in July 2019. The largest losses were in leisure and hospitality (down 146,900), professional and business services (down 70,100), trade, transportation and utilities (down 65,700) and educational and health services (down 50,300).

Manufacturing employment is down 48,200 from a year ago, while financial activity employment is down 15,600.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.