COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s unemployment rate was 5% in July, up from 4.9% in June, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported Friday.

Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 5,400 over the month, from a revised 5,716,000 in June to 5,721,400 in July.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in July was 296,000, up from 293,000 in June. The number of unemployed has increased by 41,000 in the past 12 months from 255,000. The July unemployment rate for Ohio increased 0.7 percentage points from 4.3% in July 2024.

The U.S. unemployment rate for July was 4.2%, up from 4.1% in June and unchanged from 4.2% in July 2024.

In July, the labor force participation rate in Ohio was 62.6%, down from 62.7% in June and up from 62.5% in July 2024. During the same period, the national labor force participation rate was 62.2%, down from 62.3% in June and down from 62.7% in July 2024.

Employment in goods-producing industries, at 960,100, decreased 1,400 over the month as losses in construction and manufacturing outweighed gains in mining and logging. The private service-providing sector, at 3,966,800, increased 4,500 as gains in trade, transportation and utilities; other services; financial activities; and private educational and health services surpassed losses in leisure and hospitality; information; and professional and business services. Government employment, at 794,500, increased 2,300 in local; state; and federal government.

From July 2024 to July 2025, nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 70,200. Employment in goods-producing industries increased 20,600, led by construction, which added 13,600 jobs. Manufacturing added 7,200 jobs, in durable goods and nondurable goods. Mining and logging lost 200 jobs over the year. Employment in the private service-providing sector increased 46,000 as gains in private educational and health services; professional and business services; trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; other services; and information exceeded losses in leisure and hospitality. Government employment increased 3,600 over the year, as gains in state and local government outweighed losses in federal government.