County jobless, workforce numbers down

Van Wert independent/ODJFS information

Unemployment in Van Wert and many neighboring counties decreased again in December 2010, although Van Wert remained one of the few counties in northwest Ohio to still have double-digit inflation. The county’s jobless rate fell from 11 percent in November to 10.6 percent last month.

Among the state’s 88 counties, the December 2010 unemployment rates ranged from a low of 6.4 percent in Delaware and Holmes counties to a high of 16.3 percent in Ottawa County. Rates increased in 44 of the 88 counties. In December, the comparable rate for Ohio was 9.3 percent.

Locally, workforce numbers fell 100, from 14,600 to 14,500, while the number of employed workers also fell by the same amount and unemployed workers were also down by the same amount, from 1,600 in November to 1,500 last month.

While the decrease in unemployment is a welcome sign, the workforce decrease is not, since it indicates local workers have had to move out of the county to find work elsewhere.

Van Wert County’s jobless rate a year ago was 14.2 percent.

Three of Van Wert County’s neighbors also saw their unemployment rates decline in December, led by Mercer County, which had the state’s third-lowest jobless rate at 6.6 percent, down from 6.9 percent in November. Auglaize County had the second lowest rate among neighboring counties at 8.2 percent, down from 8.6 percent the month before. Putnam County, which had been second with a jobless rate of 8.2 percent, saw its unemployment rate increase to 8.4 percent, while Allen County’s unemployment remained at 9.8 percent – the same as in November. Paulding County saw a drop of seven-tenths of a percent, from 10.5 percent to 9.8 percent, to tie with Allen County.

Statewide, eight counties had unemployment rates below 8.0 percent in December. The counties with the lowest rates, other than Delaware, Holmes and Mercer, were: Union, 7.4; Franklin, 7.6; Geauga, 7.7; Medina, 7.8; and Fairfield, 7.9 percent.

Nine counties had unemployment rates above 13.0 percent during December. The counties with the highest rates, other than Ottawa, were: Clinton, 15.0; Pike, 14.8; Highland, 14.0; Noble, 13.8; Adams, Meigs, and Morgan, 13.7; and Huron, 13.5 percent.