COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s unemployment rate was 4.6% in January, up from a revised 4.5% in December 2024, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported Friday.
Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment decreased 800 over the month, from a revised 5,654,600 in December to 5,653,800 in January.
The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in January was 271,000, up from 265,000 in December. The number of unemployed has increased by 39,000 in the past 12 months from 232,000. The January unemployment rate for Ohio increased 0.6 percentage points from 4% in January 2024.
The U.S. unemployment rate for January was 4%, down from 4.1% in December and up from 3.7% in January 2024.
In January, the labor force participation rate in Ohio was 62.4%, unchanged from a revised 62.4% in December and up from a revised 62.1% in January 2024. During the same period, the national labor force participation rate was 62.6%, up from 62.5% in December and up from 62.5% in January 2024.
Employment in goods-producing industries, at 945,600, increased 200 over the month, as gains in manufacturing exceeded losses in construction and mining and logging. The private service-providing sector, at 3,918,000, decreased 3,000 as losses in leisure and hospitality; trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; and private educational and health services exceeded gains in professional and business services; other services; and information. Government employment, at 790,200, increased 2,000, with gains in state, local and federal government.
From January 2024 to January 2025, nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 16,600. Employment in goods-producing industries increased 8,800, led by construction, which added 8,400 jobs. Manufacturing added 600 jobs as gains in nondurable goods outpaced losses in durable goods. Mining and logging lost 200 jobs over the year. Employment in the private service-providing sector increased 6,400 as gains in private educational and health services and other services surpassed losses in trade, transportation and utilities; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality; financial activities; and information. Government employment increased 1,400 as gains in state and federal government outpaced losses in local government.