County follows statewide jobless trend

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert County’s unemployment rate, like a majority of Ohio counties, rose a bit during the month of May, according to figures released Tuesday morning by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Van Wert County’s jobless percentage increased two-tenths of a percent, from 6.5 percent in April to 6.7 percent in May.

According to estimates compiled by the ODJFS, in cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, workforce, employment and unemployment numbers remained the same as in April. Total workforce estimate was 13,500, while the number of people employed stayed at 12,600 and the number of unemployed remained at 900 (click here for statewide labor force estimates).

Only one neighboring county saw its unemployment percent drop in May, Putnam County’s jobless rate decreased a tenth of a point, from 5.9 percent to 5.8 percent in May. Mercer County, which still leads the state with the lowest unemployment rate in Ohio, saw an increase of two-tenths of percent, from 4.1 percent to 4.3 percent. Auglaize County’s unemployment rate also rose two-tenths of a percent, from 4.9 percent to 5.1 percent, while Paulding County’s jobless rate went up a tenth of a percent, from 6.4 percent to 6.5 percent.

Allen County had the highest unemployment rate among neighboring counties, with a jobless rate that increased three-tenths of a percent, from 7.4 percent to 7.7 percent.

Around the state, Mercer County had the lowest unemployment rate, with the following counties also showing rates below 5.5 percent in May: Holmes (4.7 percent), Delaware (4.9 percent), Auglaize (5.1 percent), and Union (5.2 percent).

Six Ohio counties had unemployment rates above 10 percent for the month of May. They include Pike County (the highest at 11.9 percent), Meigs (11.1 percent), Scioto (11.0 percent), Adams (10.6 percent), Jefferson (10.3 percent) and Morgan (10.1 percent).

In total, 55 Ohio counties saw their unemployment rate increase, while 33 counties saw a drop in unemployment.

The comparable rate for Ohio was 6.9 percent in May (click here for a larger map with more information).