Ohio jobless rate ticks down in September

Trade, transportation, utilities, health care make biggest gains.

The Ohio unemployment rate slightly dipped September to 5.3 percent, down from 5.4 percent the previous month, according to the latest job report released today.

Ohio’s non-agricultural wage and salary employment increased 10,500 over the month, from a revised 5,546,500 in August to 5,557,000 in September 2017, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said Friday morning.

Some industries that saw the most employment gains compared to August were trade, transportation, utilities, health care, and hospitality. Employment gains in trade, transportation, and utilities were around 6,200 jobs, while educational and health services added 4,600, and leisure and hospitality added 2,900.

Manufacturing also saw some gains in September, with 3,100 jobs added month-over-month, pushing the jobs in goods-producing industries up to 914,200.

Compared to September of last year, 61,600 non-agricultural jobs were added. Some of the top industries adding jobs since last year were education, health care, leisure and hospitality. There were 24,800 jobs added in educational and health services and 19,300 in leisure and hospitality.

Government employment, which is at 776,300, did not change over the month since the 7,200 job losses in local government was offset by the 6,200 job gains in state employment and the 300 job gains in the federal government.

The seasonally adjusted U.S. unemployment rate was at 4.2 percent, down from 4.4 percent.