April jobless rates fall to 17-year low in state, region

Central Ohio’s jobless rate is at a 17-year low.

The Columbus region posted an unemployment rate of 3.4 percent in April, down from 3.5 percent in March, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said Tuesday.

That matches the rate registered in July 2001 toward the end of a long economic expansion in which joblessness bottomed out below 3 percent in central Ohio.

It isn’t just Columbus with a low jobless rate. The Cincinnati area’s unemployment rate was 3.5 percent in April and Dayton’s was 3.7 percent.

The state’s unemployment rate also is at a 17-year low, coming in at 4.3 percent in April, the state said Friday. The state’s rate is adjusted to account for seasonal differences while the county and metro-areas rates are not.

In central Ohio, several sectors posted jobs gains, including retail and wholesale trade; construction; leisure and hospitality; and professional and business services. Manufacturing and finance reported the biggest losses.

Rates fell in 85 of the state’s 88 counties as spring weather brought construction and leisure jobs back.

Economist Bill LaFayette, owner of local COUNTY Delaware Fairfield Franklin Hocking Licking Madison Morrow Perry Pickaway Union MARCH 2.9% 3.8% 3.4% 5.2% 3.6% 3.4% 4.3% 5.8% 4.2% 3.1% APRIL 2.8% 3.6% 3.3% 4.8% 3.4% 3.3% 3.9% 5.1% 3.9% 3.0% economic consulting firm Regionomics, said that, with seasonal adjustments, the central Ohio jobless rate rose to 3.8 percent last month.

“It is nothing to really worry about,” he said. “It’s kind of just bouncing around.”

Two counties in central Ohio — Delaware and Union — were among eight in the state with jobless rates of 3 percent or lower in April.

Delaware’s rate was 2.8 percent and Union’s was 3 percent.

Franklin County’s jobless rate was 3.3 percent last month, and the rate for Columbus was 3.4 percent.

Mercer County in northwestern Ohio had the lowest rate at 2.3 percent, and the highest rate, 7.3 percent, was in Monroe County in eastern Ohio.