Ohio's jobless rate slips to 3.3% in August
The state rate is down from 4.4% a year earlier and below the national 4.1%, while payrolls grew by 2,100 jobs.
Published Oct 14, 2026, Eastern Time
Source / event date: Sep 18, 2026
Statewide
Ohio's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 3.3% in August from 3.4% in July, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported Sept. 18. A year earlier it was 4.4%. The U.S. rate held at 4.1%. [1]
About 195,000 Ohioans were unemployed, 5,000 fewer than in July, in a civilian labor force of roughly 5.86 million. [1]
Employers added 2,100 nonfarm jobs for the month, bringing the total to about 5,688,700, up 9,900 from August 2025. Construction added 4,600 jobs over the month, while health care and social assistance lost 2,600. [2]
Over the year, goods-producing industries added 30,500 jobs, including 17,800 in construction and 12,500 in manufacturing. Government employment fell by 9,900, including 4,600 federal jobs. [2]
The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes September employment figures for every state on Oct. 20. [3]
Sources
- Employment Situation Indicators for Ohio, August 2026 · Ohio Department of Job and Family Services · Sep 18, 2026
- Ohio Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment, August 2026 · Ohio Department of Job and Family Services · Sep 18, 2026
- Schedule of Selected Releases for 2026 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2026
Written by The Ohio Catch. AI-assisted reporting, checked against the sources above. Report an error.