County’s jobless rate under 7 percent

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

It’s something that hasn’t happened since 2008: Van Wert County now has an unemployment rate under 7 percent.

The August unemployment figures released by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services on Tuesday, show decreased unemployment rates in all but five of the state’s 88 counties, with a range of 4.1 percent in Mercer County to 12.1 percent in Pike County.

According to Civilian Labor Force Estimates provided by the ODJFS, Van Wert has a 6.8 percent unemployment rate, down from 7.2 percent in July. The figure was 8.9 percent a year ago in July. The labor force estimates indicate that the county’s total workforce decreased 100, from 14,100 to 14,000, while the number of unemployed residents remained the same at approximately 1,000.

Statewide, eight counties had unemployment rates at or below 5.5 percent. In addition to Mercer County, they include Holmes (4.5 percent), Delaware (4.9 percent), Auglaize and Putman counties, each at 5.2 percent), Geauga (5.3 percent), Union (5.4 percent), and Erie (5.5 percent).

On the other end of the scale, five counties had unemployment rates at or above 10 percent. In addition to Pike County, they include Meigs (11.1 percent), Jefferson (10.6 percent), Scioto (10.4 percent) and Adams (10.0 percent).

Neighboring counties to Van Wert County all showed decreases in July. Mercer County decreased from 4.3 percent to 4.1 percent, Auglaize County was down from 5.7 percent to 5.2 percent, Putnam County’s jobless rate decreased from 5.7 percent to 5.2 percent, Paulding County’s rate decreased from 6.9 percent to 6.4 percent and Allen County was down from 7.7 percent to 7.1 percent (click here for a larger version of the map at right).

The state’s adjusted unemployment rate for July was 6.8 percent, the same as Van Wert County’s.