Ohio’s unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in April 2019, down from 4.4 percent in March. Ohio’s non-agricultural wage and salary employment increased 1,400 over the month, from a revised 5,595,300 in March to 5,596,700 in April 2019.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in April was 247,000, down 11,000 from 258,000 in March. The number of unemployed has decreased by 15,000 in the past 12 months from 262,000. The April unemployment rate for Ohio decreased from 4.6 percent in April 2018.

The U.S. unemployment rate for April was 3.6 percent down from 3.8 percent in March and down from 3.9 percent in April 2018.

Total Non-agricultural Wage and Salary Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

Ohio’s non-agricultural wage and salary employment increased 1,400 over the month, from a revised 5,595,300 in March to 5,596,700 in April, according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics) in cooperation with Ohio Department of Job & Family Services.

Employment in goods-producing industries, at 936,200, decreased 200 over the month as losses in manufacturing (-500) and mining and logging (-200) surpassed gains in construction (+500). The private service-providing sector, at 3,879,600, added 200 jobs. Employment gains in educational and health services (+2,100), financial activities (+2,000), and professional and business services (+100) exceeded losses in trade, transportation, and utilities (-2,400), other services (-1,200), leisure and hospitality (-300), and information (-100). Government employment, at 780,900, increased 1,400 with gains in local (+700), federal (+400), and state (+300) government.

From April 2018 to April 2019, non-agricultural wage and salary employment grew 44,400. Employment in goods-producing industries increased 8,700. Manufacturing increased 2,900 as gains in non-durable goods (+3,800) exceeded losses in durable goods (-900). Construction added 5,500 jobs and mining and logging added 300 jobs. Employment in the private service-providing sector increased 36,200. Employment gains in educational and health services (+16,900), leisure and hospitality (+11,600), professional and business services (+5,100), financial activities (+3,400), and trade, transportation, and utilities (+500) outweighed losses in information (-1,200) and other services (-100). Government employment decreased 500 as losses in local government (-4,000) surpassed gains in state (+2,600) and federal (+900) government.