Unemployment rate rises in January
Seasonal spike in unemployment higher than usual
Graphic by MICHELLE FARNHAM
MEDINA – The unemployment rate in Medina County climbed to 5.7 percent in January according to the latest estimates released by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Unemployment increased in all 88 Ohio counties in January as holiday jobs came to an end and construction jobs shut down for the winter.
However, the 5.7 percent unemployment rate here is the highest it’s been in Medina County in almost two years.
Statewide, the seasonally unadjusted employment rate for Ohio went up from 4.8 percent in December to 6.0 percent in January. The seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate for the U.S. went up from 4.5 percent in December to 5.1 percent in January.
The seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate in Medina County jumped from 4.4 percent in December to 5.7 percent in January. ODJFS estimates that 5,300 county residents were unemployed in January and 88,200 had jobs.
ODJFS reports Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment decreased 2,100 over the month, from a revised 5,503,700 in December 2016 to 5,501,600 in January.
The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in January was 287,000, up 3,000 from 284,000 in December. The number of unemployed has increased by 4,000 in the past 12 months from 283,000.
Hannah Halbert, a workforce researcher with Policy Matters Ohio, does not think Ohio’s poor jobs numbers in January were entirely the result of seasonal factors.
"Revised jobs data confirmed that 2016 was the worst year for job growth in Ohio since the end of the recession in 2009," she told the Plain Dealer. "Ohio gained less than 50,000 jobs (between December 2015 and December 2016) making our job growth rate 0.9 percent for the year. The nation grew by 1.6 percent. Ohio's post-recession annual job growth rate peaked in 2014 at a mere 1.8 percent."
Among the state’s 88 counties, preliminary January unemployment rates ranged from a low of 3.9 percent in Mercer County to a high of 12.8 percent in Monroe County. From December, unemployment rates increased in all 88 counties.
Six counties had unemployment rates at or below 4.5 percent in January. The counties with the lowest rates, other than Mercer, were Delaware, 4.1 percent; Hancock and Holmes, 4.4 percent; and Auglaize and Union, 4.5 percent.
Six counties had unemployment rates at or above 10.0 percent in January. The counties with the highest rates, other than Monroe, were Meigs, 10.9 percent; Noble, 10.6 percent; Adams, 10.4 percent; Morgan, 10.2 percent; and Ottawa, 10.1 percent.
Unemployment in neighboring counties was 5.0 percent in Wayne, 7.4 percent in Lorain, 6.2 percent in Summit, 6.6 percent in Cuyahoga and 6.5 percent in Ashland County.
Unemployment increased in all 88 Ohio counties in January as holiday jobs came to an end and construction jobs shut down for the winter.
However, the 5.7 percent unemployment rate here is the highest it’s been in Medina County in almost two years.
Statewide, the seasonally unadjusted employment rate for Ohio went up from 4.8 percent in December to 6.0 percent in January. The seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate for the U.S. went up from 4.5 percent in December to 5.1 percent in January.
The seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate in Medina County jumped from 4.4 percent in December to 5.7 percent in January. ODJFS estimates that 5,300 county residents were unemployed in January and 88,200 had jobs.
ODJFS reports Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment decreased 2,100 over the month, from a revised 5,503,700 in December 2016 to 5,501,600 in January.
The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in January was 287,000, up 3,000 from 284,000 in December. The number of unemployed has increased by 4,000 in the past 12 months from 283,000.
Hannah Halbert, a workforce researcher with Policy Matters Ohio, does not think Ohio’s poor jobs numbers in January were entirely the result of seasonal factors.
"Revised jobs data confirmed that 2016 was the worst year for job growth in Ohio since the end of the recession in 2009," she told the Plain Dealer. "Ohio gained less than 50,000 jobs (between December 2015 and December 2016) making our job growth rate 0.9 percent for the year. The nation grew by 1.6 percent. Ohio's post-recession annual job growth rate peaked in 2014 at a mere 1.8 percent."
Among the state’s 88 counties, preliminary January unemployment rates ranged from a low of 3.9 percent in Mercer County to a high of 12.8 percent in Monroe County. From December, unemployment rates increased in all 88 counties.
Six counties had unemployment rates at or below 4.5 percent in January. The counties with the lowest rates, other than Mercer, were Delaware, 4.1 percent; Hancock and Holmes, 4.4 percent; and Auglaize and Union, 4.5 percent.
Six counties had unemployment rates at or above 10.0 percent in January. The counties with the highest rates, other than Monroe, were Meigs, 10.9 percent; Noble, 10.6 percent; Adams, 10.4 percent; Morgan, 10.2 percent; and Ottawa, 10.1 percent.
Unemployment in neighboring counties was 5.0 percent in Wayne, 7.4 percent in Lorain, 6.2 percent in Summit, 6.6 percent in Cuyahoga and 6.5 percent in Ashland County.