Unemployment Rate in Ohio Falls to 4.7%

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Ohio’s unemployment rate in December was 4.7%, down from 4.8% in November and 5% in December 2016, according to the latest data from the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services.

The national unemployment rate last month was 4.1%, the same as it was in November but down from 4.7% in December 2016.

There were 270,000 unemployed workers in the Buckeye State last month, 9,000 fewer than November. That number has fallen by 14,000 over the course of the last year.

Nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 2,500 to 5,542,200, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In goods-producing industries, employment rose by 1,200 to 919,500 as the 3,500 workers hired in manufacturing offset losses in construction (1,700) and mining and logging (600).

The private service sector added 600 jobs with gains in hospitality (2,200 jobs), financial activities (1,600), and education and health (800) surpassing the losses caused by the professional service sector (3,500 jobs lost) and trade, transportation and utilities (500).

Over the year, nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 38,500, with the largest gains coming in leisure and hospitality (14,900), education and health (12,600) and manufacturing (10,200). Among the industries posting losses for the year were trade, transportation and utilities (2,600) and professional and business services (1,000).

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.