Counties with the highest unemployment in Ohio

The first jobs report under the new Trump administration showed a stable job market, with the unemployment rate ticking down from 4.1% to 4% in January, the lowest since last May, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released Feb. 7.

The report marks 49 consecutive months of overall job growth, the second-longest recorded period since 1939.

Job losses that did occur were concentrated in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industries, which declined by 8,000 jobs over the month. There was little change in employment in other major industries.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates Ohio, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in December 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Key takeaways: Jobs report reveals cooling labor market

January's job growth of 143,000 fell short of expectations, while the downward revision of 589,000 fewer jobs in 2024 suggests the labor market was weaker last year than initially thought.

Business leaders are starting to display more caution, with 67% of executives reporting higher stress levels heading into 2025, according to a survey of 1,000 executives by Sentry, a business insurance company. Among survey respondents, 47% citing economic uncertainty as their biggest concern.

"We have what I would describe as a robust but frozen labor market," Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon, told The New York Times, noting that while unemployment remains low, there's very little churn or employee turnover as "businesses are being cautious as to how they manage their work force."

Moody's Analytics projects monthly payroll gains could slow to around 100,000 by year-end.

The big story: Potential for economic headwinds grows

Behind the "Now Hiring" signs and modest unemployment rate, there's growing concern on Main Street that the economy might be more fragile than it appears.

"You've already got companies hiring as if they're in a recession—even if they're not laying people off," Oliver Allen, senior U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told CNN. Average unemployment duration, a lagging indicator, rose from 20.8 weeks in January 2024 to 22 in January of this year.

Tightening trade regulations and federal trimming could also have an impact on the job market. Experts predict the U.S. gross domestic product could take a hit due to increased tariffs. The U.S. government is the country's largest employer and contributes 36% to the GDP.

Sudden cuts to federal spending advocated by the new administration could hit the economy hard. One example of the potential fallout is that if prices were to increase further due to higher tariffs, consumer purchasing power would decline, stymieing economic growth.

Whether the effects of slashing the workforce and the budget will be exceeded by Trump's plans to loosen business regulations and cut taxes remains to be seen.

To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Ohio.

49. Pickaway County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,166 people (1,157 unemployed)

49. Williams County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,035 people (767 unemployed)

46. Portage County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 86,682 people (3,771 unemployed)

46. Harrison County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,761 people (300 unemployed)

46. Marion County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,014 people (1,196 unemployed)

44. Clark County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 63,992 people (2,890 unemployed)

44. Hardin County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,484 people (608 unemployed)

41. Ross County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 35,509 people (1,619 unemployed)

41. Seneca County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 26,602 people (1,223 unemployed)

41. Stark County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 183,242 people (8,378 unemployed)

35. Montgomery County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 249,604 people (11,745 unemployed)

35. Ashland County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 25,524 people (1,201 unemployed)

35. Carroll County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,722 people (595 unemployed)

35. Sandusky County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 29,688 people (1,404 unemployed)

35. Clinton County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,583 people (881 unemployed)

35. Summit County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 270,344 people (12,765 unemployed)

31. Fulton County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,383 people (1,076 unemployed)

31. Columbiana County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 45,109 people (2,172 unemployed)

31. Muskingum County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 41,614 people (1,985 unemployed)

31. Hocking County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,139 people (627 unemployed)

30. Lawrence County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 23,995 people (1,165 unemployed)

27. Coshocton County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,717 people (684 unemployed)

27. Belmont County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 28,743 people (1,440 unemployed)

27. Washington County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,104 people (1,352 unemployed)

25. Richland County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 52,078 people (2,649 unemployed)

25. Brown County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,978 people (1,028 unemployed)

24. Mahoning County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 99,818 people (5,222 unemployed)

22. Crawford County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,955 people (976 unemployed)

22. Highland County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,898 people (964 unemployed)

18. Athens County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: -0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 26,425 people (1,448 unemployed)

18. Henry County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: +1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,020 people (720 unemployed)

18. Guernsey County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,922 people (979 unemployed)

18. Trumbull County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 84,379 people (4,616 unemployed)

14. Erie County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: +1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 34,499 people (1,929 unemployed)

14. Gallia County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,294 people (688 unemployed)

14. Ashtabula County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 42,425 people (2,360 unemployed)

14. Perry County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,282 people (906 unemployed)

13. Lucas County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: -1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 211,158 people (11,955 unemployed)

11. Jefferson County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,207 people (1,579 unemployed)

11. Vinton County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,431 people (315 unemployed)

10. Jackson County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,535 people (735 unemployed)

9. Scioto County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,646 people (1,863 unemployed)

6. Huron County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
--- 1-month change: +1.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,254 people (1,690 unemployed)

6. Pike County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,372 people (705 unemployed)

6. Morgan County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
--- 1-month change: +2.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,948 people (429 unemployed)

5. Adams County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
--- 1-month change: +1.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,537 people (766 unemployed)

4. Noble County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.7%
--- 1-month change: +1.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,687 people (312 unemployed)

3. Meigs County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
--- 1-month change: +1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,606 people (588 unemployed)

2. Ottawa County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.5%
--- 1-month change: +1.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,440 people (1,531 unemployed)

1. Monroe County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.9%
--- 1-month change: +2.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +2.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,138 people (405 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Ben Popken, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.