County unemployment follows state trend

Van Wert independent/ODJFS information

Van Wert County’s unemployment rate decreased by eight-tenths of a percent in August, according to data released Tuesday by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

The county had an unemployment rate of 4.5 percent in August, down from 5.3 percent the month previous. While the county workforce stayed the same at 14,100, those employed were up 100 to 13,400, while those without jobs also decreased by 100, to 600.

According to ODJFS numbers, every county in the state saw decreased unemployment, while the jobless rate for the state was 5.3 percent in August, adjusted down from the 5.7 percent originally reported by the ODJFS last Friday.

Neighboring counties saw similar results to Van Wert County. Mercer County continued to lead the area – and the state – with a 3.0 percent unemployment rate, down from 3.3 percent in July. Auglaize County’s unemployment rate in August was 3.6 percent, down from 4.1 percent in July; Putnam County dropped from 5.0 percent in July to 4.0 percent in August, while Paulding County was down from 5.2 percent in July to 4.5 percent this past month. Allen County saw a 1-percent decrease, from 6.1 percent in July to 5.1 percent in August.

Across the state, Mercer led those counties that were at or under 4.0 percent in August. Others in that category, other than Auglaize and Putnam counties, included Holmes County (3.4 percent), Delaware County (3.8 percent), and Hancock County (4.0 percent).

Monroe County in the Appalachia area of Ohio had the highest unemployment rate at 10.7 percent, while six other counties had jobless rates at or above 7.0 percent. They include Meigs County (8.1 percent), Pike County (7.8 percent), Scioto County (7.6 percent), Jefferson and Morgan counties (7.2 percent), and Cuyahoga County (7.0 percent).