The unemployment rate for Marion County was down slightly in February to 9.3 percent from 9.5 percent in January. The decrease appears to be more of a result of individuals leaving the local workforce than they are a reflection on more people being hired.
The slight rate reduction comes on the heels of a 1 percent increase in January, but is still well below the rate for February 2011 of 10.5 percent.
Data released by Ohio Job and Family Services show an available workforce of 29,600 in Marion County, 100 more than in January, and show 100 more people employed than in January. The figures show 2,700 people are still trying to find a job. The official available workforce numbers are down 800 from February 2011 when it was 30,400.
Those figures would seem to show that the decrease in the unemployment rate is due more to people leaving the community, or giving up looking for work, than it is to more jobs being available.
A quick check through several online job boards, including Marion County Job and Family Services, shows well over 100 local jobs currently available. You can find jobs posted by MCJFS by clicking here.
Most other counties surrounding Marion also saw decreases in their unemployment rate, with Hardin and Morrow County holding steady.
County – Feb-12 – Jan-12 – Feb-11
Crawford – 10.7 – 11.1 – 12
Delaware – 5.8 – 6 – 6.6
Hardin – 9.3 – 9.3 – 10.1
Marion – 9.3 – 9.5 – 10.5
Morrow – 9.2 – 9.2 – 11.2
Union – 6.5 – 6.7 – 7.8
Wyandot – 10.4 – 10.6 – 11.1
Ohio's unemployment rate was 7.6 percent in February, down from 7.7 percent in January. The February unemployment rate for Ohio was down from 8.9 percent in February 2011.
The U.S. unemployment rate for February was 8.3 percent, unchanged from January.
To view data for all 88 Ohio Counties, click here.
About Marion Online News
