Unemployment low locally and across the U.S.

SANDUSKY — It's still a good time to look for a job. Ohio had an unemployment rate of 3.3% in July, down from 3.4% in June and also down from the 4% in July 2022. In a news release, officials at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said that's a new low. It's the lowest unemployment number since Ohio began reporting that data in 1976. Ohio had 194,000 unemployed workers in July, down from 200,000 in June. The U.S. unemployment rate in July was 3.5%, down from 3.6% in June and unchanged from the 3.5% in July 2022. Erie County's unemployment rate in July was 3.6%, down from 3.8% in June and 4.0% in May. County numbers in Ohio aren't seasonally adjusted, and Erie County's unemployment rate tends to be lower as the summer tourism season heats up. Still, Erie County's unemployment rate in July 2022 was 4.8%, so the new numbers are quite good historically. Eric Wobser, now in his third week as the CEO of the Greater Sandusky Partnership, said the local numbers reflect the strong national economy but also show local economic strength. It reflects the hard work done over the past decade by private and public partners working locally in economic development, Wobser said. Challenges remain in the local economy, Wobser said, but also, "There is strength in the local economy," he said. "We just have to keep moving in the right direction." Across Ohio, county unemployment numbers in July ranged from a low of 2.2% in Mercer County to a high of 5.1% in Meigs County. The unemployment rates for other counties in the Sandusky area were as follows in July: Huron County, 4.1%; Ottawa County, 3.6%, and Sandusky County, 3.3%. Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su said the latest federal numbers are more good news for people looking for a new or a better job. "The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the American economy added 187,000 jobs in the month of July — and added an average of 218,000 jobs per month over the past three months — continuing the steady and stable growth that is bringing economic security to workers and families across the country," Su said. "The unemployment rate ticked down to 3.5 percent, continuing the longest period of under 4-percent unemployment in over 50 years. Healthcare, social assistance, construction, and financial activities all gained jobs in July," Su said.