Ohio and U.S. Employment Situation (Seasonally Adjusted)

Ohio's unemployment rate was 5.0 percent in February, down from 5.3 percent in January, according to data released this morning by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ohio's nonfarm wage and salary employment decreased 9,700 over the month, from 5,433,300 in January to 5,423,600 in February.

"The severe winter storms in mid-February appear to have skewed labor market data as job seekers were less likely to be looking for work while employers also reported a decline in employment," ODJFS Director Helen Jones-Kelley said. "Nearly half of the employment decline for the month was in construction."

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in February was 295,000, down from 320,000 in January. The number of unemployed has decreased by 21,000 in the past 12 months from 316,000. The February unemployment rate for Ohio was down from 5.3 percent in February 2006.

The U.S. unemployment rate for February was 4.5 percent, down slightly from 4.6 percent in January.

Total Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

Ohio's nonfarm wage and salary employment dropped 9,700 over the month, from 5,433,300 in January to 5,423,600 in February, according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by ODJFS.

Goods-producing industries declined 5,600 over the month to 1,018,700. Adverse weather conditions reduced construction 4,300. Manufacturing was down 1,200 due to losses in nondurable goods. Natural resources and mining slipped 100. Service providers, at 4,404,900, lost 4,100 jobs from January. Declines in local government lowered government 4,100. Smaller reductions occurred in professional and business services (-1,600), trade, transportation, and utilities (-1,200), financial activities (-900), information (-100), and other services (-100). Growth in accommodation and food services boosted leisure and hospitality 2,200, while educational and health services advanced 1,700.

Over the past 12 months, nonagricultural wage and salary employment fell 24,100. Goods-producing industries dropped 31,800. Employment was down in manufacturing ( 21,900), construction (-9,600), and natural resources and mining (-300). A gain of 9,100 in educational and health services helped raise service-providing industries 7,700. Also up were professional and business services (+4,000) and trade, transportation, and utilities (+3,500). Scattered losses reduced financial activities 3,200. Declines were also noted in other services (-2,000), government (-1,500), leisure and hospitality (-1,200), and information (-1,000).

Ohio County Unemployment Rates (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

Among the state's 88 counties, the February 2007 unemployment rates ranged from a low of 3.9 percent in Delaware County to a high of 10.8 percent in Pike County. Rates decreased in 81 of the counties. The comparable rate for Ohio in February was 5.7 percent.

Seven counties had unemployment rates at or below 4.5 percent in February. The counties with the lowest rates, other than Delaware, were: Mercer, 4.0; Holmes, 4.1; Franklin and Hancock, 4.3; Auglaize and Union, 4.5 percent.

Seven counties had unemployment rates above 9.0 percent during February. The counties with the highest rates, other than Pike, were: Monroe, 10.6; Morgan, 10.0; Adams and Meigs, 9.8; Huron, 9.3; and Vinton, 9.1 percent.

For more information contact ODJFS Communications, (614) 466-6650.

EDITOR'S NOTE: All data cited are produced in cooperation with the U. S. Department of Labor. Data sources include Current Population Survey (U.S. data); Current Employment Statistics Program (nonagricultural wage and salary employment data); and Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program (Ohio unemployment rates). More complete listings of the data appear in the monthly Ohio Labor Market Review. Unemployment rates for all Ohio counties as well as cities with populations of 50,000 or more are presented in the monthly ODJFS Civilian Labor Force Estimates publication. Updated statewide historical data may be obtained by contacting the Bureau of Labor Market Information at (614) 466-1109.

News release dates to change

Due to changes in when information used to calculate state and county unemployment rates is received from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and surrounding states and the timing of when BLS releases Ohio unemployment rates and nonagricultural wage and salary data, ODJFS will begin next month to issue a news release detailing the statewide unemployment rates and nonagricultural wage and salary data on a Friday. The substate unemployment rates will be available the following Tuesday. A calendar of revised 2007 release dates is available online at http://lmi.state.oh.us/LAUS/LAUS-PressReleaseDates.htm. March 2007 unemployment rates and nonagricultural wage and salary data for Ohio will be released by ODJFS on Friday, April 20, 2007. County, city and metropolitan area unemployment rates will be available on Tuesday, April 24, 2007. This information and the monthly statistical summaries it is based on are also available at http://jfs.ohio.gov/releases.

Choose this link to view the table on the Ohio and U.S. Employment Situation.

Choose this link to view the table for the Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment Estimates for Ohio.

To view the county unemployment rates in Ohio, please choose one of the following links:

• Table of county unemployment rates.
• Color map of county unemployment rates.
• Grayscale map of county unemployment rates.