Local jobless rates among Ohio’s lowest

VW independent staff

The latest figures from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services show Van Wert County had one of the state’s lowest unemployment rates in May, and jobless rates in adjacent counties were far below the statewide average as well.

The Ohio average was 3.9 percent last month but Van Wert County’s unemployment rate was measured at 2.6 percent, the 10th lowest in the state, according to Job and Family Services.

It was even lower in three neighboring counties, 2.1 percent in Mercer County, tied with Holmes County for lowest in the state; 2.2 percent in Putnam County, third lowest in Ohio, and 2.4 percent in Auglaize County, tied for fifth lowest with Delaware and Wyandot counties. Paulding County’s May unemployment rate was 2.7 percent, 11th lowest in Ohio, and Allen County’s May unemployment rate was 3.4 percent, ranking it No. 36 in Ohio.

While Mercer and Holmes counties had the lowest jobless rates in May, Cuyahoga County had the highest, at 6.0 percent.