Area jobless rates mostly stagnant in Oct.

Van Wert independent/ODJFS information

Van Wert County’s unemployment rate in October followed a trend seen among most neighboring counties of either no change or a small increase in the jobless rate.

According to figures released Tuesday by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Van Wert County’s unemployment rate inched upward from 9.0 percent in September to 9.1 last month.

Other neighboring counties that saw small increases in unemployment include Mercer County, up a tenth of a percent from 5.6 to 5.7 percent (still the lowest in the area); and Auglaize County, which had an increase of two-tenths of a percent, from 7.2 percent to 7.4 percent.

Allen and Paulding counties had October unemployment rates unchanged from September, with Allen County at 9.2 percent — the highest of those counties contiguous to Van Wert County – and 8.5 percent for Paulding County.

The only neighboring county that saw its jobless rate decrease was Putnam County, which dropped a tenth of a percent, from 7.4 percent to 7.3 percent.

Among the state’s 88 counties, the October 2011 unemployment rates ranged from a low of 5.4 percent in Geauga County to a high of 15.0 percent in Pike County. Rates decreased in 38 of the 88 counties. In October, the comparable rate for Ohio was 8.4 percent.

Six counties had unemployment rates below 7.0 percent in October. The counties with the lowest rates, other than Geauga were: Mercer, 5.7; Lake and Medina, 5.9; Holmes, 6.2; and Delaware, 6.4 percent.

Four counties had unemployment rates above 12.0 percent during October. The counties with the highest rates, other than Pike, were: Meigs, 12.6; Clinton, 12.3; and Scioto, 12.2 percent.

Ohio’s unemployment rate fell a tenth of a percent, from 9.1 percent to 9.0 percent, according to ODJFS figures released last Friday.