Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Ohio

Written by:
November 15, 2022
Bwsmith84// Wikimedia Commons

Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Ohio

Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as economic experts bandy around the idea of a potential recession by 2023. The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2008-2010—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until the spring of 2019 that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.

As of October of this year, national unemployment is at 3.7%, 0.2% higher than in September. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2.0% in Minnesota, to 4.5% in Illinois and 4.7% in the District of Columbia. Further breakdown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows yet another county-based spectrum within each state.

To that end, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in Ohio using data from the BLS. Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in September 2022.

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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#50. Defiance County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 17,696 (656 unemployed)
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Art Anderson // Wikimedia Commons

#49. Henry County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 12,955 (479 unemployed)
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dankeck // Wikimedia Commons

#48. Hocking County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 12,894 (482 unemployed)
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Brenda // Wikimedia Commons

#47. Medina County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: 0.0%
- Total labor force: 98,346 (3,676 unemployed)
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Ndutro // Wikimedia Commons

#46. Seneca County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: 0.0%
- Total labor force: 26,694 (991 unemployed)

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Alycat // Wikimedia Commons

#45. Stark County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 179,497 (6,705 unemployed)
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OZinOH // Wikimedia Commons

#44. Ashtabula County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 43,009 (1,678 unemployed)
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Cindy Funk // Wikicommons

#43. Clark County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 61,436 (2,372 unemployed)
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Pdepalma // Wikimedia Commons

#42. Lake County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.2%
- Total labor force: 125,360 (4,879 unemployed)
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Leslie K. Dellovade // Wikimedia Commons

#41. Muskingum County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 40,415 (1,565 unemployed)

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Christopher L. Riley // Wikimedia Commons

#40. Perry County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 15,865 (622 unemployed)
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Sleepydre // Wikicommons

#39. Summit County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 261,067 (10,055 unemployed)
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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#38. Brown County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 19,171 (766 unemployed)
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Bwsmith84 // Wikimedia Commons

#37. Clinton County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 17,843 (721 unemployed)
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Rona Proudfoot // Wikimedia Commons

#36. Erie County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 37,129 (1,478 unemployed)

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Christopher L. Riley // Wikimedia Commons

#35. Hardin County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 13,157 (532 unemployed)
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Kevin Marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#34. Huron County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 27,652 (1,110 unemployed)
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Tysto // Wikimedia Commons

#33. Montgomery County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 244,869 (9,739 unemployed)
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Derek Jensen // Wikimedia Commons

#32. Allen County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 46,671 (1,905 unemployed)
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David Wilson // Wikimedia Commons

#31. Athens County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: -1.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 27,191 (1,113 unemployed)

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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#30. Carroll County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 12,522 (512 unemployed)
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Willjay // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Guernsey County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 17,774 (732 unemployed)
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James St. John // Wikimedia Commons

#28. Marion County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: -2.3%
--- 1 year change: 0.0%
- Total labor force: 28,401 (1,174 unemployed)
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John Siegenthaler // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Richland County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 50,906 (2,105 unemployed)
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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#26. Vinton County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.9%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 5,462 (226 unemployed)

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Roger O. Young // Wikimedia Commons

#25. Washington County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 26,891 (1,092 unemployed)
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636Buster // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Columbiana County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 45,724 (1,925 unemployed)
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User:OHWiki // Wikimedia Commons

#23. Crawford County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.2%
--- 1 month change: -1.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 17,738 (748 unemployed)
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LeeG7144 // Wikimedia Commons

#22. Ottawa County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.2%
- Total labor force: 21,114 (885 unemployed)
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Aesopposea // Wikimedia Commons

#21. Highland County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 17,248 (739 unemployed)

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Seicer // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Lawrence County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.3%
--- 1 month change: -1.0%
--- 1 year change: -0.1%
- Total labor force: 23,050 (998 unemployed)
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Kurt Tarvis // Wikimedia Commons

#19. Gallia County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 11,729 (516 unemployed)
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Michael Shake // Shutterstock

#18. Lucas County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 205,820 (9,080 unemployed)
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Tim Kiser // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Morgan County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 6,757 (300 unemployed)
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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Pike County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.4%
--- 1 month change: -1.0%
--- 1 year change: -2.4%
- Total labor force: 11,089 (492 unemployed)

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Aesopposea // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Adams County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.9%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 11,010 (494 unemployed)
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Bwsmith84 // Wikimedia Commons

#14. Harrison County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 6,484 (292 unemployed)
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Derek Jensen (Tysto) // Wikimedia Commons

#13. Lorain County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 154,506 (6,895 unemployed)
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Jack Pearce // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Mahoning County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 96,897 (4,391 unemployed)
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Bwsmith84 // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Belmont County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 27,768 (1,289 unemployed)

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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Coshocton County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -0.2%
- Total labor force: 13,726 (630 unemployed)
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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#9. Jackson County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 12,335 (566 unemployed)
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User:OHWiki // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Sandusky County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.6%
--- 1 month change: +0.2%
--- 1 year change: +0.7%
- Total labor force: 30,566 (1,398 unemployed)
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Spongefan // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Scioto County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.9%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 29,166 (1,378 unemployed)
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Jack W. Pearce // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Trumbull County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 81,862 (3,817 unemployed)

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Canva

#5. Cuyahoga County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 605,628 (29,553 unemployed)
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Jimmy Emerson // Wikimedia Commons

#4. Meigs County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.9%
--- 1 year change: -0.2%
- Total labor force: 8,809 (453 unemployed)
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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Jefferson County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.2%
--- 1 month change: -1.0%
--- 1 year change: -0.2%
- Total labor force: 26,925 (1,399 unemployed)
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w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Noble County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 4,555 (235 unemployed)
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Bwsmith84// Wikimedia Commons

#1. Monroe County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.5%
--- 1 month change: -1.0%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 5,087 (279 unemployed)

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