County jobless rate falls sharply in March

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert County’s jobless rate took a sharp drop in March, according to figures released Tuesday by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

The county’s unemployment rate decreased from 8.6 percent in February to 7.9 percent in the month of March, ODJFS figures show, a trend followed by all 88 Ohio counties. The number of employed county residents rose, from 12,800 last month to 12,900 in March, and the number of local residents without jobs dropped, from 1,200 to 1,100, while the overall workforce figures also increased by 100, from 14,000 to 14,100. March’s 7.9 percent unemployment rate was also substantially better than a year ago, when the figure was nearly in the double digits at 9.5 percent.

Van Wert County’s neighbors also saw big decreases in unemployment, with Mercer County again leading the area — and the state — with a jobless rate of 4.9 percent, down from 5.5 percent in February. Auglaize County was again second in the area, with a jobless rate of 6.4 percent in March, down from 6.9 percent last month. Putnam County dropped a whopping 1.3 percent, from 8.0 percent to 6.7 percent in March, while Paulding County’s jobless rate decreased from 8.2 percent in February to 7.7 percent last month. Allen County again was the highest at 8.5 percent, but that was eight-tenths of a percent lower than February, when the county’s unemployment rate was 9.3 percent.

Among the state’s 88 counties, the March 2012 unemployment rates ranged from Mercer County’s low of 4.9 percent to a high of 14.7 percent in Pike County. Rates decreased in all 88 counties. In March, the comparable rate for Ohio was 7.8 percent. (click here for Civilian Labor Force Estimates).

Eight counties had unemployment rates at or below 6.5 percent in March. The counties with the lowest rates, other than Mercer, were: Delaware, 5.5; Holmes, 5.6; Union, 5.8; Medina, 6.3; Auglaize and Geauga, 6.4; and Hancock, 6.5 percent.

Seven counties had unemployment rates at or above 12.0 percent during March. The counties with the highest rates, other than Pike were Ottawa, 13.1; Morgan, 12.8; Meigs, 12.7; Adams 12.1; and Vinton and Huron, 12.0 percent (click here for a larger map with more information).