COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s unemployment rate was 4.5% in November 2025, down from 4.8% in September, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported Wednesday. Household data was not collected in October due to a lapse in federal appropriations.
Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 3,100 over the month, from 5,702,200 in October to 5,705,300 in November.
The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in November was 269,000, down from 287,000 in September. The number of unemployed has increased by 4,000 in the past 12 months from 265,000. The November unemployment rate for Ohio remained unchanged from 4.5% in November 2024.
The U.S. unemployment rate for November was 4.6%, up from 4.4% in September and up from 4.2% in November 2024.
In November, the labor force participation rate in Ohio was 62.3%, down from 62.4% in September and down from 62.4% in November 2024. During the same period, the national labor force participation rate was 62.5%, up from 62.4% in September and unchanged from 62.5% in November 2024.
Employment in goods-producing industries, at 967,900, increased 4,600 over the month in manufacturing, construction and mining and logging. The private service-providing sector, at 3,953,600, increased 100 as gains in private educational and health services; professional and business services; and other services surpassed losses in trade, transportation and utilities; leisure and hospitality; financial activities; and information. Government employment, at 783,800, decreased 1,600 in local, federal and state government.
From November 2024 to November 2025, nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 51,200. Employment in goods-producing industries increased 21,700, led by construction, which added 12,600 jobs. Manufacturing added 9,000 jobs in durable goods and nondurable goods. Mining and logging gained 100 jobs over the year. Employment in the private service-providing sector increased 33,300, as gains in private educational and health services; trade, transportation and utilities; professional and business services; other services; and information surpassed losses in leisure and hospitality and financial activities. Government employment decreased 3,800 over the year, as losses in federal and state government outweighed gains in local government.