Counties with the highest unemployment in Ohio

Written by:
Stacker
May 3, 2024
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Counties with the highest unemployment in Ohio

While today's unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future.

Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Ohio using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in March 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Experts have mixed views of a potential recession. The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession.

The last economic recession before the pandemic—the Great Recession of 2007-09—sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.

But as of April 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.9%—up slightly from the previous month. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.

Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Ohio.

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#50. Lorain County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 151,337 people (6,729 unemployed)

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#49. Fayette County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,804 people (615 unemployed)

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#48. Seneca County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 26,539 people (1,202 unemployed)

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#47. Tuscarawas County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 45,067 people (2,012 unemployed)

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#46. Allen County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 46,897 people (2,106 unemployed)

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#45. Portage County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 87,010 people (3,890 unemployed)

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#44. Cuyahoga County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 591,720 people (26,687 unemployed)

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#43. Morrow County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,278 people (813 unemployed)

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#42. Ashland County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 25,993 people (1,227 unemployed)

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#41. Montgomery County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 249,469 people (11,623 unemployed)

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#40. Summit County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 271,272 people (12,769 unemployed)

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#39. Fulton County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,044 people (1,051 unemployed)

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#38. Sandusky County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,161 people (1,442 unemployed)

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#37. Stark County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 182,783 people (8,697 unemployed)

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#36. Harrison County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,719 people (336 unemployed)

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#35. Carroll County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,667 people (646 unemployed)

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#34. Hocking County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,214 people (669 unemployed)

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#33. Clinton County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,566 people (949 unemployed)

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#32. Lucas County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 208,033 people (10,547 unemployed)

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#31. Lawrence County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,132 people (1,251 unemployed)

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#30. Muskingum County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 41,958 people (2,181 unemployed)

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#29. Henry County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,842 people (676 unemployed)

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#28. Crawford County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,786 people (935 unemployed)

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#27. Athens County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,311 people (1,439 unemployed)

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#26. Columbiana County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 45,243 people (2,399 unemployed)

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#25. Perry County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,265 people (873 unemployed)

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#24. Richland County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 51,394 people (2,774 unemployed)

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#23. Washington County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,182 people (1,496 unemployed)

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#22. Erie County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 34,998 people (1,939 unemployed)

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#21. Mahoning County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 99,556 people (5,449 unemployed)

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#20. Gallia County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,505 people (696 unemployed)

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#19. Brown County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,890 people (1,106 unemployed)

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#18. Coshocton County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,778 people (779 unemployed)

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#17. Highland County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 17,717 people (1,002 unemployed)

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#16. Ashtabula County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 43,257 people (2,461 unemployed)

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#15. Guernsey County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,942 people (1,046 unemployed)

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#14. Belmont County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 28,324 people (1,631 unemployed)

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#13. Trumbull County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 84,177 people (4,843 unemployed)

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#12. Pike County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,246 people (666 unemployed)

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#11. Vinton County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.0%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,499 people (328 unemployed)

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#10. Huron County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,769 people (1,653 unemployed)

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#9. Scioto County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,096 people (1,794 unemployed)

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#8. Jackson County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,736 people (776 unemployed)

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#7. Jefferson County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,008 people (1,642 unemployed)

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#6. Morgan County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,971 people (433 unemployed)

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#5. Ottawa County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,360 people (1,384 unemployed)

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#4. Noble County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,672 people (321 unemployed)

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#3. Monroe County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,195 people (361 unemployed)

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#2. Adams County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,458 people (791 unemployed)

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#1. Meigs County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,820 people (646 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

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