Unemployment Up in December, Lower than 2011
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Unemployment rates edged upward in the Mahoning Valley region last month, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services in Columbus reported Tuesday.
In December, the unemployment rate was 8.0% in Trumbull County, 7.3% in Mahoning County and 7.6% in Columbiana County. That compares to 7.7% in Trumbull County during November, 6.9% in Mahoning County and 7.4% in Columbiana County.
Still, all three counties' December rates were improved from a year earlier. In December 2011, Trumbull's unemployment rate was 8.7%, Mahoning's 8.4% and Columbiana's 8.8%.
For the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman metropolitan area, which covers Mahoning and Trumbull counties in Ohio and Mercer County, Pa., the unemployment rate rose from 7.4% in November to 7.7% the following month. For the Ohio-only portion of the MSA, the December rate was also 7.7%, up from 7.3% in November. The December 2011 unemployment rate for the entire MSA was 8.3%, 8.5% in the two Ohio counties.
Youngstown's increase in the unemployment rate last month mirrored Mahoning County's, rising to 9% in December from 8.6% in November, though down nearly a point and a half from December 2011's 10.4% rate. In Warren, the unemployment rate last month also stood at 9.0%, unchanged from November but down from 9.9% in December 2011.
Annual rates declined between 2011 and 2012. Last year, the average unemployment rate was 7.9% in Mahoning County, down from 9.6% in 2011. In Trumbull County, the 2011 average was also 9.6%, declining to 8.2% last year. Columbiana County’s 10.2% average unemployment rate in 2011 declined to 8.2% as well for 2012.
For the metro area, the annual unemployment rate declined from 9.4% in 2011 to 8.1% in 2012, and from 9.6% to 8.0% over the period in the Ohio-only portion of the MSA.
Youngstown saw its 12.0% annual unemployment rate for 2011 decline to 9.8% last year, while Warren’s fell from 10.7% in 2011 to 9.3% a year later.
Following the release of the state data, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber noted in its summary of economic indicators that while the metro area jobs picture “fell back a bit in December,” unemployment was still lower than the national average for the fifth consecutive month. The local metro rate, despite the December increase, was still below the national rate of 7.8%.
Since 1983, the chamber reported, the metro area’s monthly jobless rate has been lower than the has been lower than the national rate 11 months since August 2011, and only 15 months total since 1983.
“While we are disappointed in this month’s unemployment rate increase, if you look at the bigger picture, we’re better off than we were a year ago,” said Tom Humphries, president and CEO of the Regional Chamber. The December increase in the jobless rate is something that happens every year, he noted.
While the number of jobs in the metro area declined by 1,900 from November to December, the MSA recorded a gain of 2,500 jobs from December 2011 to December 2012.
Transportation and utilities recorded a 600-job increase from November to December and was up 2,600 jobs from December 2011. Other sectors reporting year-over-year job gains included manufacturing (up 800), financial activities (up 200), education and health services (up 800), leisure and hospitality (up 200) and other services (up 100).
Copyright 2012 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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