Ohio’s unemployment rate was 5.0% in February 2021, down from 5.3% in January. Ohio’s non-agricultural wage and salary employment decreased 8,400 over the month, from a revised 5,304,300 in January to 5,295,900 in February 2021.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in February was 289,000, down from 306,000 in January. The number of unemployed has increased by 10,000 in the past 12 months from 279,000. The February unemployment rate for Ohio increased from 4.7% in February 2020.

The U.S. unemployment rate for February was 6.2%, down from 6.3% in January, and up from 3.5% in February 2020.

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

Ohio’s non-agricultural wage and salary employment decreased 8,400 over the month, from a revised 5,304,300 in January to 5,295,900 in February, according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics) in cooperation with ODJFS.

Employment in goods-producing industries, at 889,400, decreased 600 over the month with losses in manufacturing (-300), mining and logging (-200), and construction (-100). The private service-providing sector, at 3,661,700 decreased 8,000 as losses in educational and health services (-12,700) and professional and business services (-1,400) outpaced gains in leisure and hospitality (+4,300), trade, transportation, and utilities (+900), financial activities (+400), other services (+400), and information (+100). Government employment, at 744,800, increased 200 as gains in state government (+400) exceeded losses in federal government (-200). Local government did not change over the month.

From February 2020 to February 2021, non-agricultural wage and salary employment decreased 314,000. Employment in goods-producing industries decreased 47,200. Manufacturing lost 36,600 jobs in durable goods (-34,300) and non-durable goods (-2,300). Construction lost 8,900 jobs and mining and logging employment decreased 1,700. Employment in the private service-providing sector decreased 216,600 as losses in leisure and hospitality (-89,600), educational and health services (-59,100), professional and business services (-36,800), other services (-22,800), information (-5,500), and trade, transportation, and utilities (-3,100) outweighed gains in financial activities (+300). Government employment decreased 50,200 with losses in local (-30,700), state (-18,700), and federal (-800) government.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services manages vital programs that strengthen Ohio families. These include job training and employment services, unemployment insurance, cash and food assistance, child care, child and adult protective services, adoption, and child support services.