LIMA (6-27-25) — May’s unemployment rates in area counties hit their lowest rates since December, according to data released this week by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

The lowest rates in Ohio were Mercer County and Holmes County both at 3.4%, while Meigs County was the highest at 6.6%.

Ohio’s unemployment rate was 4.9% in May, and the national unemployment rate was at 4%.

According to OhioMeansJobs.com, there were 1,678 open jobs within 10 miles of downtown Lima. The biggest group was for entry-level jobs paying less than $30,000 a year, at 38.7%, followed by middle income earning $30,000-$49,000 a year (31.%), high income of $80,000 and up (18.3%) and upper middle income of $50,000 to $79,000 (18.3%).

Stateline area counties-

• Putnam County – 3.6%

• Auglaize County – 3.7%

Darke County – 4.1%

Logan County – 4.1%

Shelby – 4.2%

• Van Wert County – 4.2%

Allen County – 4.7%

• Hardin County – 4.9%

INDIANA

Indiana Department of Workforce Development estimates released this week show that Jay County flipped in the unemployment rankings in May, tying for the 39th-highest rate among the state’s 92
counties after tying for 24th-lowest in April.


The local unemployment rate came in at 3.3%, up by 0.6 percentage points from the previous month. That number was down by 0.3 percentage points from May 2024. Jay County’s rate had dropped in March and April after coming in at 4.1% in February

Stateline area unemployment rates are as follows:

  • Adams County: 3.2%, up 0.5 percentage point, tied for 38th-lowest
  • Blackford County: 3.8%, up 0.5 percentage points, tied for 10th- highest
  • Randolph County: 3.5%, up 0.2 percentage points, tied for 23rd-highest
  • Wells County: 2.7%, up 0.5 percentage points, tied for lowest in Indiana