Local unemployment increased slightly

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Figures released this week by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services show unemployment increased in eight counties, decreased in 64 counties and was unchanged in 16 counties during the month of March.

One of the counties that saw an increase was Van Wert County, but it was ever so slight. The county’s March unemployment rate was 4.9 percent, compared to 4.8 percent in February. Figures show Van Wert County had a labor force of 14,800, with 700 unemployed. Last month’s 4.9 percent rate was notably higher than March, 2024, when it was 3.7 percent.

Neigbhoring Paulding County also saw a slight increase, going from 4.9 percent in February to 5.0 percent last month, while the March unemployment rate fell slightly in Putnam County, going from 4.8 to 4.5 percent.

The March jobless rate was unchanged in Allen County, 5.4 percent and it remained the same in Auglaize County as well, 4.2 percent. Mercer County’s unemployment rate didn’t change, staying at 3.9 percent, tied for third lowest in Ohio. Mercer County traditionally has Ohio’s lowest monthly jobless rate but that designation went to northeast Ohio’s Medina County, which came in at 3.6 percent. Geauga County, also in northeast Ohio, had the state’s second lowest jobless rate in March, 3.8 percent, while Mercer, Union and Holmes counties were at 3.9 percent.

According to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Ottawa County had the state’s highest unemployment rate in March, 8.5 percent.

Four counties had unemployment rates above 8.0 percent in March. The counties with the highest rates, other than Ottawa, were: Meigs, 8.4 percent; Noble, 8.2 percent; and Monroe, 8.1 percent.

Ohio’s unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in March, up from 4.7 percent in February. Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 7,500 over the month, from a revised 5,685,700 in February to 5,693,200 in March.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in March was 283,000, up from 277,000 in February 2025. The number of unemployed has increased by 43,000 in the past 12 months.