Ohio Unemployment Rate Unchanged in February
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s unemployment rate was 3.7% in February, unchanged from January, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported Friday.
Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 2,900 over the month, from a revised 5,629,800 in January to 5,632,700 in February.
The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in February was 214,000, up from 212,000 in January. The number of unemployed has increased by 3,000 in the past 12 months from 211,000. The February unemployment rate for Ohio in both 2023 and 2024 was 3.7%.
The U.S. unemployment rate for February was 3.9%, up from 3.7% in January and up from 3.6% in February 2023.
In February, the labor force participation rate in Ohio was 61.8%, unchanged from 61.8% in January and up from 61.7% in February 2023. During the same period, the national labor force participation rate was 62.5%, unchanged from 62.5% in both January and February 2023.
Employment in goods-producing industries, at 933,400, increased 3,700, with gains in manufacturing and construction. Mining and logging did not change over the month. The private service-providing sector, at 3,918,300, decreased 200 as losses in financial activities; professional and business services; trade, transportation and utilities; information; and other services surpassed gains in leisure and hospitality and private educational and health services. Government employment, at 781,000, decreased 600 as losses in state government outpaced gains in local and federal government.
From February 2023 to February 2024, nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 29,300. Employment in goods-producing industries decreased 3,300. Construction lost 5,600 jobs. Manufacturing increased 2,400 as gains in durable goods outweighed losses in nondurable goods. Mining and logging lost 100 jobs. Employment in the private service-providing sector increased 27,200 as gains in private educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; and other services exceeded losses in trade, transportation and utilities; professional and business services; financial activities; and information. Government employment increased 5,400 as gains in local and federal government outpaced losses in state government.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
