Employment Situation Continues to Improve in Valley
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Mahoning Valley’s unemployment rate in March was down nearly half a percentage point from February, although comparable to about a year earlier, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported Tuesday.
The 8.3% unemployment rate for Mahoning and Trumbull counties combined -- also the rate for the two counties individually -- was down from 8.7% in February, the monthly report showed, and down slightly from 8.4% in March 2012. For the entire Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, Ohio-Pa. metropolitan area, which encompasses the two Ohio counties as well as Mercer County, Pa., the March unemployment rate was 8.4%, matching the metro rate a year earlier but down from February’s 8.8%.
Mahoning County’s 8.3% unemployment rate in March was down from 8.7% the month before and down from 8.6% in March 2012. Trumbull’s March 8.3% rate was down a full half of a percentage point from February’s 8.8% but up slightly from 8.2% in March 2012. In Columbiana County, the March unemployment rate was 8.2%, down from 8.9% the month before and down from 8.6%.
Youngstown’s unemployment rate was 9.9% in March, down from 10.1% the month before and in March 2012. Warren reported an 8.6% unemployment rate in March, down from 8.8% in February and from 8.7% in March 2012.
Nonfarm payroll employment in the metro area totaled 222,500 in March, up 1,000 from February, according to the the monthly labor market review, also released Tuesday. The goods-producing sector, at 37,900, was unchanged over the month as a 400-job gain in mining, logging and construction was offset by a 400-job decrease in manufacturing. A 700-job gain by leisure and hospitality contributed to an 800-job gain in private service-providing industries. Government employment increased by 300 through gains in local (200) and state (199) government.
Nonagricultural wage and salary employment decreased by 200 from March 2012 to March 2013, the report stated. Goods-producing employment decreased 1,600. Manufacturing lost 1,100 jobs and mining, logging, and construction lost 500. The private service-providing sector grew 1,700. Gains were seen in trade, transportation, and utilities (up 800), professional and business services (600), and leisure and hospitality (600). Losses were scattered among several industries. Government employment decreased 300 due to a decline in state government.
Copyright 2013 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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