Van Wert County fares well in latest jobless numbers

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Van Wert County and most surrounding counties had unemployment rates lower than the statewide average last month, according to figures released this week by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Ohio’s statewide average in September was 3.4 percent. Van Wert County came in a half-percent lower, at 2.9 percent, the same as August, and lower than the September, 2025 rate of 3.8 percent. Lat month, Van Wert County had a labor force of 14,300, and 13,900 workers were employed.

Two neighboring counties, Mercer and Putnam, had jobless rates even lower, 2.6 percent, while a third, Auglaize County, checked in at 2.8 percent. To the north, Paulding County’s September jobless rate was slightly higher than Van Wert County’s, 3.1 percent.

Allen County’s unemployment rate was above the state average, 3.7 percent.

Medina and Geauga counties, both in northeast Ohio, had the state’s lowest jobless rate last month, just 1.6 percent in both counties. In fact, seven northeast Ohio counties had the lowest rates in September. After Medina and Geauga, Lake County’s unemployment rate was 1.8 percent, while Lorain and Ashtabula counties came in at 1.9 percent. Cuyahoga Count’s September jobless rate was 2.0 percent and Holmes County was at 2.4 percent.

While northeast Ohio had the lowest rates, it also had the highest jobless rates. Trumbull County had the state’s highest unemployment rate last month, 4.8 percent, while neighboring Mahoning County came in at 4.7 percent.

An Ohio Department of Job and Family Services report noted that unemployment rates increased in 42 counties, decreased in 22 counties, and did not change in 24 counties last month.