Unemployment up big in Van Wert County

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Van Wert County unemployment rates increased by nearly two percent between October and November – going from 2.8 percent in October to 4.6 percent last month – according to figures supplied by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services on Tuesday. November’s rate was double that of November, 2023.

According to the ODJFS, the jump took the county from seventh lowest in Ohio in October to 23rd highest in November. Out of a labor pool of 14,900 workers, 14,200 were employed.

“Continued claims increased almost 300 percent from October to November due to a temporary layoff in manufacturing,” ODJFS spokesman Tom Betti said.

Three counties in northeast Ohio had the state’s lowest unemployment rate last month. Medina and Geauga counties tied for the lowest rate, 2.6 percent, while Lake County’s jobless rate was 2.7 percent. Mercer County, which traditionally has the lowest rate, had Ohio’s fourth lowest unemployment rate in November, 2.8 percent. Two counties adjacent to Van Wert County had low rates as well. Putnam County was at 3.1 percent (seventh lowest), while Auglaize County came in at 3.2 and tied with Cuyahoga County for ninth lowest.

Paulding County’s November jobless rate was 4.0 percent and Allen County’s rate was 4.2 percent.

Two northwest Ohio counties had the state’s highest unemployment rates last month. Lucas County rate of 6.8 percent topped all other counties, while Ottawa County’s 5.9 percent jobless rate was second. Meigs and Monroe counties had the third and fourth highest unemployment rates last month, 5.8 and 5.7 percent respectively, and Athens County had Ohio’s fifth highest jobless rate, 5.6 percent. 

From October, unemployment rates increased in 85 counties and decreased in just three counties. The comparable November unemployment rate for Ohio was 3.9 percent.