Ohio Unemployment Rate Decreased to 5.1% in October

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The unemployment rate in Ohio improved slightly to 5.1% in October, down from a revised 5.3% in September, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 20,100 to 5,381,300 in October, from a revised 5,361,200 in September. The number of unemployed workers in the state dropped to 289,000 last month, down from 298,000 in September. That’s also down from 319,000 from October 2020 when the unemployment rate was 5.6%.

Comparatively, the U.S. unemployment rate in October was 4.6%, down from 4.8% in September and down from 6.9% in October 2020.

The labor force participation rate in Ohio was 61.2% in October, up from 61.1% in September, and down from 61.5% in October 2020. Nationally, the rate for October 2021 was 61.6%, unchanged from September.

Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 20,100 in October to 5,381,300, up from a revised 5,361,200 in September, ODJFS reported.

Employment in goods-producing industries, at 898,100, increased 1,900 over the month with gains in manufacturing (+1,500); construction (+300); 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) surpassed losses in educational and health services (-1,600) and information (-500). Government employment, at 758,800, increased 100 as gains in state government (+1,900) outpaced losses in local (-1,400) and federal (-400) government.

From October 2020 to October 2021, nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 104,000. Employment in goods-producing industries increased 10,500. Manufacturing added 2,300 jobs. Nondurable goods added 3,600 jobs but durable goods lost 1,300 jobs. Construction employment increased 8,100 and mining and logging employment increased 100. The private service-providing sector added 83,400 jobs. Employment gains in leisure and hospitality (+40,200); trade, transportation, and utilities (+28,600); professional and business services (+17,000); financial activities (+1,900); and information (+1,500) exceeded losses in educational and health services (-3,300) and other services (-2,500). Government employment increased 10,100 as gains in local (+8,300) and state (+5,500) government surpassed losses in federal government (-3,700).

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.