SIDNEY — Shelby County’s unemployment rate dropped in April, along with all of Ohio’s 88 counties.
Unemployment was 4.0 percent in Shelby County in April, down from 4.6 in March, according to the latest data from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Office of Workforce Development, Bureau of Labor Market Information.
The county unemployment rate in April 2015 was 4.2 percent, which is not seasonally adjusted.
Ohio’s unemployment rate was 5.2 percent in April, up from 5.1 percent in March and up from 5.0 in April of 2015.
Nationwide the unemployment rate for April was 5.0 percent, the same as in March and down from 5.4 percent in April 2015.
Among the state’s 88 counties, preliminary April 2016 unemployment rates ranged from a low of 3.0 percent in Mercer County to a high of 12.3 percent in Monroe County. From March, unemployment rates decreased in all 88 counties. The comparable unemployment rate for Ohio was 4.8 percent in April.
Eight counties had unemployment rates at or below 3.5 percent in April. The counties with the lowest rates, other than Mercer were: Auglaize, Delaware, and Holmes, 3.3; Hancock, 3.4; Putnam, Union, and Wyandot, 3.5 percent.
Three counties had unemployment rates above 8.5 percent in April. The counties with the highest rates, other than Monroe were: Jefferson, 8.8; and Noble, 8.7.
Surrounding counties’ unemployment rates for April (compared to the March rates) were as follows: Allen, 4.4 (down from 5.0); Auglaize, 3.3 (down from 3.9); Champaign, 4.0 (down from 4.6); Darke, 3.9 (down from 4.6); Logan, 4.0 (down from 4.5); Mercer, 3.0 (down from 3.7); and Miami, 4.1 (down from 4.8).
