Local Unemployment Continues Drop, but Still Among State’s Highest

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The unemployment rate in Youngstown and Warren dropped in September, but are still among the highest in the state.

Youngstown’s unemployment rate was 14.4% in September, down from 15.9% in August, while Warren’s rate was 14%, down from 15.2%. The rates for both are up significantly from last year, when Youngstown posted an unemployment rate of 6.5% in September and Warren reported a rate of 6.8%.

Among Ohio cities, only four ranked higher than the two Mahoning Valley cities: Maple Heights at 16.3%, Cleveland at 15.1%, Garfield Heights at 15% and Euclid at 14.8%.

At the county level, Mahoning County reported an unemployment rate of 10.1%, down from the 11.3% reported in August and up from September 2019’s mark of 5.3%.

Trumbull County’s rate also fell, ending the month at 10.3%, down from the 11.3% in August but up from 5.7% reported a year ago.

And Columbiana County posted the lowest unemployment rate among local counties at 8.9%, down from 10.9% in August and up from 4.5% in September 2019.

Among all 88 Ohio counties, only Cuyahoga County at 11.2% and Monroe County at 10.5% had higher unemployment rates than Trumbull. Jefferson County was tied at 10.3%.

For the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman metropolitan statistical area – which includes Mahoning and Trumbull counties, as well as Mercer County in Pennsylvania – the unemployment rate was 9.8%, down from 11.2% in August but still higher than the 6% level of September 2019.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.