COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s unemployment rate was 4.9% in May, unchanged from 4.9% in April, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported Friday.
Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment decreased 6,500 over the month, from a revised 5,712,100 in April to 5,705,600 in May.
The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in May was 294,000, up from 291,000 in April. The number of unemployed has increased by 45,000 in the past 12 months from 249,000. The May unemployment rate for Ohio increased 0.7 percentage points from 4.2% in May 2024.
The U.S. unemployment rate for May was 4.2%, unchanged from 4.2% in April and up from 4% in May 2024.
In May, the labor force participation rate in Ohio was 62.7%, unchanged from 62.7% in April and up from 62.4% in May 2024. During the same period, the national labor force participation rate was 62.4%, down from 62.6% in April and down from 62.6% in May 2024.
Employment in goods-producing industries, at 958,000, decreased 1,100 over the month in manufacturing and construction. Mining and logging did not change over the month. The private service-providing sector, at 3,956,700, decreased 5,200 as losses in trade, transportation and utilities and leisure and hospitality outweighed gains in private educational and health services; financial activities; information; professional and business services; and other services. Government employment, at 790,900, decreased 200, as losses in federal and local government surpassed gains in state government.
From May 2024 to May 2025, nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 55,700. Employment in goods-producing industries increased 18,100, led by construction, which added 17,000 jobs. Manufacturing added 1,400 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 35,700, as gains in private educational and health services; financial activities; leisure and hospitality; other services; information; and professional and business services outweighed losses in trade, transportation and utilities. Government employment increased 1,900 over the year, as gains in state government surpassed losses in federal and local government.