Ohio Unemployment Rate Increases in January

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s unemployment rate increased to 3.7% in January, up from a revised 3.6% in December, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported Friday.

Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 12,900 over the month, from a revised 5,630,100 in December to 5,643,000 in January.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in January was 212,000, up from 210,000 in December. The number of unemployed has decreased by 6,000 in the past 12 months from 218,000. The January unemployment rate for Ohio decreased 0.1 percentage points from 3.8% in January 2023.

The U.S. unemployment rate for January was 3.7%, unchanged from 3.7% in December 2023 and up from 3.4% in January 2023.

In January, the labor force participation rate in Ohio was 61.8%, unchanged from 61.8% in December 2023 and up from 61.6% in January 2023. During the same period, the national labor force participation rate was 62.5%, unchanged from 62.5% in December 2023 and up from 62.4% in January 2023.

Employment in goods-producing industries, at 934,100, decreased 300 as losses in construction surpassed gains in manufacturing and mining and logging. The private service-providing sector, at 3,919,300, increased 6,700 as gains in professional and business services; private educational and health services; trade, transportation and utilities; and financial activities exceeded losses in leisure and hospitality; information; and other services. Government employment, at 789,600, increased 6,500 with gains in local, state and federal government.

From January 2023 to January 2024, nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 47,700. Employment in goods-producing industries decreased 700. Construction lost 1,900 jobs. Manufacturing increased 1,100 with gains in durable goods and nondurable goods. Mining and logging added 100 jobs. Employment in the private service-providing sector increased 30,700 as gains in private educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; and other services outpaced losses in professional and business services; trade, transportation and utilities; information; and financial activities. Government employment increased 17,700 with gains in local, state and federal government.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.