April Unemployment Rate Drops to 7% in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio's unemployment rate dropped to 7% in April from the 7.1% registered in March, as 7,600 jobs were added to nonfarm payrolls during the month, reports the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
The number of workers unemployed in Ohio during April stood at 400,000, down from 407,000 in March, ODJFS said. The number of unemployed has decreased 21,000 in the past 12 months from 421,000. In April 2012, Ohio's unemployment rate stood at 7.3%, ODJFS reported.
The U.S. unemployment rate for April was 7.5%, down from 7.6% in March and down from 8.1% in April 2012.
Ohio's nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 7,600 over the month, from a revised 5,175,600 in March 2013 to 5,183,200 in April.
The goods-producing sector gained 800 jobs over the month at 853,500 jobs, ODJFS said. The state's manufacturing base witnessed a 2,400 increase in jobs and helped offset the 1,400 jobs lost in construction and the 200 lost in mining and logging industries during the month.
From April 2012 to April 2013, nonagricultural wage and salary employment grew 4,400. Goods-producing industries decreased 300 over the year. Construction lost 9,200 jobs. Manufacturing gained 8,800 jobs in durable and nondurable goods. Mining and logging added 100 jobs, while private service-providing industries increased by 18,700.
Educational and health services added 12,300 jobs during the 12-month period, while leisure and hospitality saw an increase of 4,200 positions, trade, transportation, and utilities added 2,600 jobs, financial activities were up by 1,800 and other services increased 900.
Professional and business services lost 2,000 jobs, while and information services were also down by 1,100. Government employment decreased by 14,000; local government lost 7,200 jobs, state government was down 3,800, and federal government positions declined by 3,000 statewide, the report said.