Jobless rate drops locally and statewide

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Ohio’s unemployment rate decreased statewide in April, according to new figures released this week by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

From March, jobless rates decreased in all 88 counties and ranged from a low of 2.0 percent in Holmes County to a high of 4.7 percent. Both counties are in northeast Ohio.

The statewide average was 3.9 percent.

Van Wert County, along with Mercer, Auglaize, Paulding and Putnam counties fared well in the latest rankings. Mercer County had Ohio’s second lowest jobless rate in April, 2.1 percent. Auglaize County tied Wyandot and Union counties for the state’s fourth lowest unemployment rate, 2.4 percent. At 2.6 percent, Putnam County tied Madison County for the ninth lowest rate. Van Wert County had the state’s 10th lowest umemployment rate (2.7 percent) last month, along with Paulding, Shelby, Lake and Preble counties.

The area’s highest unemployment rate in April was in Allen County, 3.3 percent, still below the statewide average.

According to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Van Wert County had an available workforce of 14,000 last month, and 13,600 of those workers were employed. The county’s jobless rate dipped a full percentage point from March and was substantially lower than April of 2025, when it was 4.4 percent.

The latest rankings show 11 counties had unemployment rates at or above 4.0 percent in April. The counties with the highest rates, other than Trumbull were Pike, 4.5 percent; Mahoning, 4.4 percent; Lucas and Ottawa, 4.3 percent; Meigs, 4.2 percent; Monroe and Scioto, 4.1 percent, and Adams and Noble, 4.0 percent.