Jobless rates continuing to decline

COLUMBUS — As unemployment rates across the state drop, Auglaize County saw a nearly 2% decrease in its rate according to figures from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services released Tuesday.

It marks the sixth consecutive month that the county has seen its unemployment rate fall since the coronavirus pandemic shutdown caused figures to rise to nearly 20%.

For October, Auglaize County’s rate sat at 3.7%, lower than September’s rate of 5.6%. There are an estimated 900 people unemployed throughout the county.

Preliminary October 2020 unemployment rates ranged from a low of 2.3% in Holmes County with just 500 unemployed to a high of 6.6% in Cuyahoga, Jefferson, Mahoning and Trumbull counties as unemployment rates decreased in all 88 counties from September.

The comparable unemployment rate for Ohio was 5.2% percent in October.

Three counties had unemployment rates below at or 3.0% in October, Holmes County, Putnam County at 2.8% and neighboring Mercer County at 3.0%.

Ten counties had unemployment rates above 6.0 % in October, including Cuyahoga, Jefferson, Mahoning, and Trumbull all at 6.6%, Monroe at 6.5%, Lucas and Noble counties at 6.3%, Erie and Harrison counties at 6.2% and Meigs County at 6.1%.

Comparing other neighboring counties, Darke and Van Wert county unemployment rates were at 3.6% in October, followed by Logan at 4.0%, Shelby at 4.2%, Hardin at 4.5% and Allen County at 5.4%.

For a fifth consecutive month, Auglaize County saw its unemployment rate dip, according to figures from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services released Tuesday.

The county’s unemployment rate dropped to 5.6% in the month of September, lower than August’s rate of 6.4% and much lower than April’s rate of 19.5%.

Preliminary September 2020 unemployment rates ranged from a low of 3.5% in Holmes County to a high of 11.2% in Cuyahoga County while unemployment rates decreased in all 88 counties from August.

Four counties had unemployment rates at or below 5.0% in September, other than Holmes County, including Putnam County at 4.0%, neighboring Mercer County at 4.4% and Van Wert at 5.0%.

Five counties had unemployment rates above 10.0% in September.

The counties with the highest rates, other than Cuyahoga were: Monroe at 10.5%, Jefferson and Trumbull counties at 10.3% and Mahoning County at 10.1%.

Comparing other neighboring counties, Darke County’s unemployment rate was at 5.5%, followed by Shelby at 6.4%, Hardin at 6.6% and Allen County at 7.6%.

The comparable 5.2% unemployment rate for Ohio is lower than last month’s 8.0% and closing in on October 2019’s rate of 3.8%

The comparable unemployment rate for Ohio was 8.0% in September, slightly down from 8.8% in August was the nation’s unemployment rate was 6.9% last month, down from September’s rate of 7.7%.