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Warren, Youngstown Jobless Rates Drop in February
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The unemployment rate dropped sharply in Warren last month, down more than half a percentage point from February, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported.
Warren's jobless rate was 9.3% in February, down from 10.0% the month before, according to the monthly data released by the department's Bureau of Labor Market Information. Compared to February 2011, the city’s jobless rate improved even more dramatically, down from 11.1%.
Youngstown's February unemployment rate was also down from January, although not by as much as Warren -- 10.9% last month, down from 11.3% in January. The city's February jobless number was also improved from a year earlier, when it held a 12.4% rate.
Trumbull County had the lowest rate, 8.9$, among Columbiana and Mahoning counties in February. That compared to 9.4% for Mahoning and 9.9% for Columbiana. In January, Trumbull’s jobless rate was 9.2%, Mahoning’s 9.6% and Columbiana’s 10.2%.
All three counties posted February jobless rates down from a year earlier by more than a full percentage point, and more than two full points in Trumbull’s case. The Trumbull jobless rate in February 2011 was 11.0%, as it was in Mahoning, while Columbiana’s was 11.6%.
The Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses Mahoning and Trumbull counties in Ohio and Mercer County, Pa., posted a jobless rate in February of 9.1%, down from 9.3% in January and down from 10.7% in February 2011. The Ohio-only portion of the MSA, which excludes Mercer County, reported a slightly higher 9.2%, down from 9.4% in January and down from 11.0% in February 2011.
Nonfarm payroll employment in the MSA totaled 219,300 in February, down 1,500 from January. Service-providing industries lost 900 jobs. Decreases in education and health services and trade, transportation and utilities exceeded growth in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and government. The workforce in goods-producing industries, at 37,000, lost 600 jobs resulting from depressed mining, logging, and construction and manufacturing during the period.
Nonagricultural wage and salary employment rose 1,300 over the year. Service-providing industries advanced 900, led by professional and business services (up 900), followed by leisure and hospitality (up 800), trade transportation and utilities (up 500) and information (up 100). Goods-producing industries grew by 400 due to a 500-position increase in manufacturing, which compensated for a decline of 100 in mining, logging and construction.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.