County jobless rate stays same in Sept.

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert County’s unemployment remained stable in September, staying at 3.6 percent — the same as in August of this year, according to estimates provided by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services on Tuesday.

While individual workforce estimates changed somewhat, with total workforce estimates decreasing from 14,600 to 14,400 and the number of people estimated to be employed the county fell to 13,900, from 14,100, the number of people unemployed remained the same at 500. Those figures were released through the ODJFS, in conjunction with information provided by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In the area, Mercer County continued to have the lowest unemployment percentage at 2.8 percent, up a tenth of a percent from 2.7 percent in August. Mercer County also had the lowest unemployment rate in Ohio.

Auglaize County’s unemployment also was up a tenth of a percent, from 3.1 percent in August to 3.2 percent last month. Putnam County had the third-lowest jobless rate among neighboring counties, at 3.3 percent, the same as in August. Van Wert was fourth, while Paulding and Allen counties tied fifth at 4.1 percent, which was unchanged from August for both counties.

Statewide, unemployment rates increased in 46 counties, decreased in 11 counties and stayed the same in 31 counties. The comparable unemployment rate for Ohio was 4.3 percent in September.

Ten counties, including Mercer, Auglaize and Putnam, had unemployment rates at or below 3.5 percent in September. They are Mercer County (2.8 percent), Holmes County (3.0 percent), Delaware (3.1 percent), Auglaize, Hancock and Wyandot counties (3.2 percent), Putnam and Union counties (3.3 percent), Madison County (3.4 percent), and Wayne County (3.5 percent).

Just four counties had unemployment percentages at or above 6.5 percent in September. They include Monroe County (8.4 percent), Meigs County (6.8 percent), Scioto County (6.7 percent) and Jefferson County (6.6 percent).