LIMA — An estimated 3,600 people rejoined the labor force in the nine-county region in June, but only 36 percent of them found jobs, according to statistics released Tuesday by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. That led to increases in the unemployment rate across the region.
The number of people with jobs actually increased in eight of the nine counties, as did the total labor force and number of unemployed people. The one exception was Hardin County, which saw its number of employed people drop by 500 and its labor force shrink by 300.
Allen County saw its unemployment rate for June go up 0.4 percentage points to 6.5 percent. That’s still well below the 11 percent unemployment felt in June 2020, as the economy climbed out of the hole created by the economic slowdown associated with COVID-19.
Allen County’s number of employed people went up by 200 to 43,800, and its number of unemployed also increased by 200 to 3,000. The total labor force in the county is now 46,800 people.
There were 2,164 jobs advertised within a 10-mile radius of Lima on Tuesday afternoon on the OhioMeansJobs.com search tool.
The lowest unemployment rate in the region belonged to Mercer County, with its 3.9 percent as the second-lowest rate in the state.
Putnam County had the third-lowest rate in Ohio, at 4.1 percent, up from May’s 3.3 percent but still well below June 2020’s 7.2 percent.
Auglaize County had the seventh-lowest rate, 4.7 percent, up from May’s 3.7 percent and down from last year’s 9.4 percent.
Statewide, the unemployment rate was 5.2 percent, compared to the national average of 5.9 percent. The lowest rate was Holmes County at 3.8 percent, and the highest rate belonged to Erie, Jefferson and Meigs counties at 8.7 percent.
The state saw its biggest monthly decrease in jobs — 1.7 percent — in real estate, rental and leasing. Wholesale trade jobs dropped 0.8%, and construction jobs and management of companies and enterprises fell by 0.4 percent.
The largest growth areas in Ohio in June were in educational services and arts, entertainment and recreation, which each grew by 5.8 percent. State government jobs increased by 3.3 percent, while leisure and hospitality grew by 2.2 percent.
