Ohio Unemployment Falls to 4.5% in February

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s unemployment rate in February was 4.5%, down from 4.7% in January, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported this morning.

Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 13,400 over the month, from a revised 5,553,000 in January to 5,566,400 in February 2018.

Last month’s unemployment rate also was down from 5.1% in February 2017, according to the monthly numbers.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in February was 262,000, down 9,000 from 271,000 in January. The number of unemployed has decreased by 32,000 over the past year from 294,000.

The U.S. unemployment rate for February was 4.1%, unchanged from January, and down from 4.7% in February 2017.

Employment in goods-producing industries, at 925,400, increased 4,100 over the month with gains in manufacturing, construction, and mining and logging. The private service-providing sector, at 3,858,300, added 15,500 jobs.

From February 2017 to February 2018, nonagricultural wage and salary employment grew 46,500, and employment in goods-producing industries increased 18,800.

Manufacturing added 12,000 jobs in both durable goods and nondurable goods. Construction increased 6,100 jobs and mining and logging gained 700 jobs. The private service-providing sector added 28,000 jobs.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.