Unemployment climbs to 4.3 percent
County averaged 4.2 percent unemployment rate in 2016
Graphic by MICHELLE FARNHAM
MEDINA – The unemployment rate in Medina County climbed to 4.3 percent in December according to the latest data released by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Unemployment was estimated at 3.7 percent in November, the lowest rate reported here since December of 2014 when it was estimated at 3.0 percent.
For the year, unemployment in Medina County averaged 4.2 percent. It averaged 4.3 percent in 2015 and has declined each year since 2009 when it peaked at 7.7 percent.
ODJFS estimated that 4,000 county residents were unemployed in December and 89,000 had jobs. It also estimated 1,400 more county residents had jobs in November and 600 fewer were considered unemployed.
Unemployment numbers also rose across Ohio and the nation in December. Ohio’s unadjusted unemployment rate increased from 4.4 percent in November to 4.7 percent in December. The comparable rates for the nation rose from 4.4 percent in November to 4.5 percent in December.
Preliminary December unemployment rates for Ohio’s 88 counties ranged from a low of 3.1 percent in Mercer County to a high of 9.6 percent in Monroe County. Unemployment rates increased in 81 counties, decreased in four counties, and did not change in three counties.
Sixty counties had higher unemployment rates than Medina County’s 4.3 percent in December. Unemployment in neighboring counties was 3.9 percent in Wayne, 5.8 percent in Lorain, 4.9 percent in Summit, 5.3 percent in Cuyahoga and 5.1 percent in Ashland County.
The job numbers compiled by ODJFS each month are produced in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor using surveys and other data.
ODJFS reported Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 10,300 in December, from a revised 5,506,900 in November to 5,517,200
The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in December was 282,000, up 4,000 from 278,000 in November. The number of unemployed has increased by 9,000 in the past 12 months from 273,000. The December unemployment rate for Ohio was 0.1 percentage points higher than the December 2015 rate.
The U.S. unemployment rate for December was 0.3 percentage points lower than in December 2015.
About 1,400 job losses were reported in Ohio in December in goods-producing industries as losses in construction (-2,800) exceeded gains in manufacturing (+1,100) and mining and logging (+300).
The private service-providing sector with 3.8 million workers added 13,100 jobs in December. Employment gains in professional and business services (+5,900), trade, transportation, and utilities (+3,200), educational and health services (+2,700), financial activities (+1,600), information (+900), and leisure and hospitality (+800) surpassed losses in other services (-2,000).
Government employment, at 778,900, decreased 1,400 in December as losses in state government (-4,300) outweighed gains in local (+1,600) and federal (+1,300) government.
ODJFS also reports no nagricultural wage and salary employment in Ohio grew 41,800 from December 2015 to December 2016.
Unemployment was estimated at 3.7 percent in November, the lowest rate reported here since December of 2014 when it was estimated at 3.0 percent.
For the year, unemployment in Medina County averaged 4.2 percent. It averaged 4.3 percent in 2015 and has declined each year since 2009 when it peaked at 7.7 percent.
ODJFS estimated that 4,000 county residents were unemployed in December and 89,000 had jobs. It also estimated 1,400 more county residents had jobs in November and 600 fewer were considered unemployed.
Unemployment numbers also rose across Ohio and the nation in December. Ohio’s unadjusted unemployment rate increased from 4.4 percent in November to 4.7 percent in December. The comparable rates for the nation rose from 4.4 percent in November to 4.5 percent in December.
Preliminary December unemployment rates for Ohio’s 88 counties ranged from a low of 3.1 percent in Mercer County to a high of 9.6 percent in Monroe County. Unemployment rates increased in 81 counties, decreased in four counties, and did not change in three counties.
Sixty counties had higher unemployment rates than Medina County’s 4.3 percent in December. Unemployment in neighboring counties was 3.9 percent in Wayne, 5.8 percent in Lorain, 4.9 percent in Summit, 5.3 percent in Cuyahoga and 5.1 percent in Ashland County.
The job numbers compiled by ODJFS each month are produced in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor using surveys and other data.
ODJFS reported Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 10,300 in December, from a revised 5,506,900 in November to 5,517,200
The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in December was 282,000, up 4,000 from 278,000 in November. The number of unemployed has increased by 9,000 in the past 12 months from 273,000. The December unemployment rate for Ohio was 0.1 percentage points higher than the December 2015 rate.
The U.S. unemployment rate for December was 0.3 percentage points lower than in December 2015.
About 1,400 job losses were reported in Ohio in December in goods-producing industries as losses in construction (-2,800) exceeded gains in manufacturing (+1,100) and mining and logging (+300).
The private service-providing sector with 3.8 million workers added 13,100 jobs in December. Employment gains in professional and business services (+5,900), trade, transportation, and utilities (+3,200), educational and health services (+2,700), financial activities (+1,600), information (+900), and leisure and hospitality (+800) surpassed losses in other services (-2,000).
Government employment, at 778,900, decreased 1,400 in December as losses in state government (-4,300) outweighed gains in local (+1,600) and federal (+1,300) government.
ODJFS also reports no nagricultural wage and salary employment in Ohio grew 41,800 from December 2015 to December 2016.