Local job market as cold as the weather was in January

Staff report
news@wbcowqel.com

County-by-county employment statistics were released by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and January’s local numbers were as chilling as the winter weather for the month.

Comparing the unadjusted figures to those of December 2013, the local unemployment rate in January rose 0.9 percent to 8.5. That is 2.1 percent better than it was one year ago. But that still doesn’t offset the raw data that indicates 600 fewer people were working in Crawford County in January than in December while 200 more are on the unemployment rolls. The overall labor force was down by 400 people to 19,500.

All of the counties surrounding Crawford County in North Central Ohio showed a jump in unemployment. Wyandot County had the lowest jobless rate at 6.8 percent and Huron County the highest at 12.4.