Ohio Unemployment Rate Increases in December
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s unemployment rate increased to 3.7% in December 2023, up from 3.6% in November, yet the number of those participating in nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased to the highest levels since statistics began in 1990, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported Friday.
Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 7,000 over the month, from a revised 5,654,100 in November to 5,661,100 in December.
The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in December was 214,000, up from 212,000 in November. The number of unemployed has decreased by 22,000 in the past 12 months from 236,000. The December unemployment rate for Ohio decreased 0.4 percentage points from 4.1% in December 2022.
The U.S. unemployment rate for December was 3.7%, unchanged from November 2023 and up from 3.5% in December 2022.
In December 2023, the labor force participation rate in Ohio was 61.9%, down from 62% in November 2023 and up from 61.2% in December 2022. During the same period, the national labor force participation rate was 62.5%, down from 62.8% in November 2023 and up from 62.3% in December 2022.
Employment in goods-producing industries, at 942,900, decreased 3,400 as losses in construction exceeded gains in manufacturing. Mining and logging did not change over the month. The private service-providing sector, at 3,940,100, increased 8,400 as gains in leisure and hospitality; private educational and health services; trade, transportation and utilities; other services; and information surpassed losses in financial activities and professional and business services. Government employment, at 778,100, increased 2,000 with gains in local, state and federal government.
From December 2022 to December 2023, nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 106,400. Employment in goods-producing industries increased 6,500. Construction added 4,900 jobs. Manufacturing increased 1,100 as gains in durable goods outpaced losses in nondurable goods. Mining and logging gained 500 jobs. Employment in the private service-providing sector increased 86,500 as gains in private educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; other services; and professional and business services outweighed losses in financial activities; trade, transportation and utilities; and information. Government employment increased 13,400 with gains in local, state and federal government.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
