Van Wert County’s jobless rate continues to decline

VW independent staff

Unemployment in Van Wert County during the month of March was lower than the statewide average, according to figures released earlier this week by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

The county’s jobless rate came in at 3.4 percent, while Ohio’s average was 4.0 percent. The local March employment rate dipped from February, when it was 4.1 percent and it’s notably lower than March, 2025, when it was 5.0 percent. ODJS said Van Wert County had an available workforce of 14,200 in March, with 13,700 employed.

Most other surrounding counties came in under the statewide average as well. Paulding County matched Van Wert County at 3.4 percent, Putnam County was at 3.5 percent and Auglaize County’s March unemployment rate was 3.0 percent. Mercer County’s jobless rate was 2.7 percent, second lowest in Ohio. Allen County was just above Ohio’s average, 4.1 percent.

Among the state’s 88 counties, March unemployment rates ranged from a low of 2.6 percent in Holmes County to a high of 6.1 percent in Noble and Ottawa counties. From February, unemployment rates decreased in all 88 counties.

22 counties had unemployment rates at or below 3.5 percent in March. Along with Holmes and Mercer counties, those counties were: Auglaize and Union, 3.0 percent; Delaware, 3.1 percent; Hancock, Warren, and Wyandot, 3.3 percent; Franklin, Paulding, Shelby, Van Wert and Wayne, 3.4 percent, and Champaign, Defiance, Fairfield, Greene, Licking, Madison, Medina, Preble, and Putnam, 3.5 percent.

Nine counties had jobless rates at or above 5.5 percent in March. The counties with the highest rates, other than Noble and Ottawa were: Pike, 6.0 percent; Meigs, 5.8 percent; Adams and Monroe, 5.7 percent; Huron and Trumbull, 5.6 percent, and Morgan, 5.5 percent.