LIMA — Allen County’s unemployment ticked up slightly in December from November but remained down from a year ago.
Allen County’s December unemployment rate was 7 percent, up from November’s 6.7 percent and down from 8.3 percent in December 2011, according to data released today by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Among the state’s 88 counties, the December rates range from a low of 3.9 percent in Mercer County to a high of 12.3 percent in Pike County.
Rates for counties in much of the region remained steady from November to December; five of the nine counties in the region remained unchanged. The unemployment rates for much of the region continue to be significantly lower from a year ago.
Rates increased in 67 of the 88 counties from November to December. Ohio’s unemployment rate for December was 6.7 percent, and the nation’s unemployment rate was 7.8 percent.
Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment decreased 9,400 over the month, remaining at about 5.2 million in November and December, according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor and Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Nine counties, including Auglaize, Hancock, Mercer and Putnam, had unemployment rates at or below 5.5 percent in December. Ten counties, but none in the region, had rates above 10 percent.
The January 2013 numbers for Ohio and for counties will not be released until March 8 and March 26, respectively. The January numbers are always delayed because of annual benchmarking and extra reporting done by the state and federal governments.
