COLUMBUS, Ohio – The state says Ohio’s unemployment rate dropped in March for the fifth straight month to its lowest level in six years.
The seasonally adjusted rate in March was 6.1 percent, which was down from 6.5 percent in February, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services announced Friday. It’s the state’s lowest jobless rate since April 2008.
The state’s rate has dipped below the national rate, which was 6.7 percent in both February and March.
It was the fifth consecutive month when the jobless rate has been lower than the previous month, falling from 7.4 percent in October.
The state says Ohio’s nonfarm wage and salary employment increased 600 over the month while the number of unemployed workers was down 24,000. The number of unemployed Ohioans has decreased by 68,000 in the past 12 months from 421,000. 353,000.
Employment gains in construction, leisure and hospitality, professional and business services and educational and health services were partially offset by declines in manufacturing, trade, transportation, and utilities, the state reported.