VW County sees jobless rate hike in May

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert County unemployment increased in May, as did most of its neighboring counties, according to figures released Tuesday by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

The county saw its jobless rate increase four-tenths of a percent, from 3.8 percent in April to 4.2 percent, last month — the biggest rate hike among area counties.

According to estimates compiled by the ODJFS, in conjunction with the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, Van Wert County’s workforce numbers remained the same, while the number of people employed increased 100, from 13, 800 in April to 13,900 in May, while the number of people out of work also went up 100, from 500 in April to 600 last month.

Mercer County again had the lowest unemployment in the state at 3.1 percent, but saw an increase of two-tenths of a percent over April’s 2.9 percent jobless rate. Auglaize County’s unemployment rate was up a tenth of a percent, from 3.5 percent in April to 3.6 percent last month, while Putnam County’s May jobless rate stayed the same as April’s at 3.7 percent.

Paulding County also saw a slight increase in unemployment, moving up two-tenths of a percent to 4.7 percent, from April’s 4.5 percent jobless rate. Allen County again had the highest unemployment rate in the area, increasing a tenth of a percent to 4.6 percent in May from April’s 4.5 percent.

The area followed a general increase in unemployment seen around the state. The jobless rate decreased in 16 counties, increased in 55 counties and stayed the same in 17 counties in May.

Four counties, including Mercer, had unemployment rates of 3.5 percent in May. The other three were Delaware, Holmes and Wyandot, all at 3.4 percent.

At the high end of the unemployment scale, seven counties had jobless rates at or above 7 percent for May. They include Monroe County, 9.4 percent; Meigs County, 7.4 percent; Scioto County, 7.1 percent; and Adams, Jackson, Jefferson and Noble counties, all at 7.0 percent.

Ohio’s unemployment rate for May was 4.9 percent, meaning all area counties were below the state average.