Ohio Labor Force Ticks up in October
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Unemployment in Ohio dipped again in October as some sectors reported monthly gains.
Ohio’s unemployment rate in October was 5.1%, according to the latest data from the Department of Job and Family Services. That’s down from 5.4% in September. The national unemployment rate in October was 4.6%.
The number of unemployed workers in Ohio was 289,200 in September, down from 303,000 in September.
The state’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased by 20,100 over September to 5,381,300 last month. As a whole, the civilian labor force in Ohio stood at 5,673,700 in October, up from 5,668,800 in September.
Ohio employment in goods-producing industries, at 898,100 in October, increased 1,900 over the month with gains in construction (+300) and manufacturing (+1,500) and mining and logging (+100).
The private service-providing sector, at 3,724,400, increased 18,100 as gains in leisure and hospitality (+8,200), trade, transportation and utilities (+6,600), financial activities (+2,400), other services (+1,700) and professional and business services (+1,300) exceeded losses in educational and health services (-1,600) and information (-500).
Government employment in Ohio increased by 100 to 758,800, with gains in state (+1,900) outpacing losses in local (-1,400) and federal (-400) positions.
In the Mahoning Valley, Mahoning and Trumbull counties each had unemployment rates of 4.8%, while Columbiana County had a rate of 4.4%. Monroe County led the state with a rate of 5.8%.
The total labor force in Mahoning County was 97,800 with 21,600 from the city of Youngstown. There were 93,200 employed in the county with 20,300 employed in Youngstown. The county’s unemployment rate improved is down from 5.4% in September and from 5.8% in October 2020, while the city’s rate of 6% improved from 7.2% in September.
Of Trumbull County’s labor force of 82,200, 78,200 are employed. The county’s unemployment rate is down from 5.5% in September. The city of Warren saw its rate improve to 5.8% in October from 6% in September and from 7.9% in October 2020.
Columbiana county saw its unemployment rate improve from 5% in September and from 5% in October 2020, with a labor force of 44,900, of which 42,900 are employed.
From October 2020 to October 2021, total nonagricultural employment increased by 109,600 to 5.43 million. Employment in goods-producing industries increased 10,600. Manufacturing lost 1,800 jobs in durable goods, while nondurable goods added 3,800 jobs year-over-year. Construction added 8,500 jobs while mining and logging added 100.
Year-over-year employment in the private service-providing sector increased by 88,700, as gains in leisure and hospitality (+42,600), trade, transportation and utilities (+31,200), professional and business services (+18,000), financial activities (+1,700) and information (+1,300) surpassed losses in educational and health services (-3,900) other services (-2,000). Meanwhile, government employment increased 10,300 over October 2020 as gains in local (+7,000) and state (+6,800) government outweighed a loss of 3,500 at the federal government level.
The Youngstown-Warren-Boardman Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Mercer County in Pennsylvania, saw total nonagricultural employment in October increase to 203,300 from September. Employment in goods-producing industries, at 32,500, increased by 200. Manufacturing increased by 300 for the month to 22,700. Employment in the private service-providing sector, at 142,700, increased 600 as gains in trade, transportation, and utilities (+700) and leisure and hospitality (+200) exceeded losses in educational and health services (-100). Financial activities didn’t change over the month.
Government employment, at 28,100, increased 200 with gains in local (+200) government. State and federal government employment did not change over the month.
Year-over-year, nonagricultural wage and salary employment in the region increased 1,600 from October 2020.
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
