COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s unemployment rate was 4.9% in April, up from 4.8% in March, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported Friday.
Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 22,200 over the month, from a revised 5,690,900 in March to 5,713,100 in April.
The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in April was 291,000, up from 283,000 in March. The number of unemployed has increased by 46,000 in the past 12 months from 245,000. The April unemployment rate for Ohio increased 0.7 percentage points from 4.2% in April 2024.
The U.S. unemployment rate for April was 4.2%, unchanged from 4.2% in March and up from 3.9% in April 2024.
In April, the labor force participation rate in Ohio was 62.7%, up from 62.6% in March and up from 62.3% in April 2024. During the same period, the national labor force participation rate was 62.6%, up from 62.5% in March and down from 62.7% in April 2024.
Employment in goods-producing industries, at 960,700, increased 2,100 over the month, as gains in construction and manufacturing surpassed losses in mining and logging. The private service-providing sector, at 3,961,400, increased 18,800 as gains in private educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; trade, transportation and utilities; other services; professional and business services; and information outpaced losses in financial activities. Government employment, at 791,000, increased 1,300, as gains in local and federal government exceeded losses in state government.
From April 2024 to April 2025, nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 67,800. Employment in goods-producing industries increased 23,500, led by construction, which added 20,500 jobs. Manufacturing added 3,300 jobs, as gains in nondurable goods outpaced losses in durable goods. Mining and logging lost 300 jobs over the year. Employment in the private service-providing sector increased 42,200 in private educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; other services; information; trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; and professional and business services. Government employment increased 2,100 in state, local and federal government.