COLUMBUS, Ohio – The first three months were good ones for central Ohio’s economy, according to a report released Monday.
Employers in the 11-county region added 1,000 jobs in the first quarter, the number of building permits increased and so did home sales, according to the economic development update released by regional economic development agency Columbus 2020.
At 0.6 percent, employment growth in the Columbus metropolitan area was better than the statewide 0.1 percent growth rate, but not as strong as the national growth of 1.4 percent.
The 6 percent unemployment rate in central Ohio was up from December’s 5.7 percent but still less than the 7.1 percent Ohio rate and the 7.6 percent U.S. rate.
The rise was a result of the labor force increasing by 3,500 while the number of employed residents was essentially unchanged, suggesting more jobseekers entered the market.
The employment gains were highest in computer services, health care and logistics while retail employment, finance and insurance and manufacturing all posted declines.
Housing and real estate updates were strong for the Columbus Region in the first quarter.
The number of building permits issued was 46 percent more than last year, led by a record-breaking number of permits issued in January.
Home sales were up 14.8 percent, compared with increases of 8.2 percent nationally and 12.1 percent in the Midwest.
The report highlighted nearly two dozen projects that have created or retained more than 4,000 jobs during the first four months of the year. Safelite Group, Inc., the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair and replacement services, announced a $40 million investment and the addition of 350 jobs. SpeedFC, Inc., a leading provider of end-to-end e-commerce services, committed to doubling its workforce with 250 new jobs.