(5-7-26) Among the state’s 88 counties, preliminary March 2026 unemployment rates ranged from a low of 2.6% in Holmes County to a high of 6.1% in Noble and Ottawa counties. From February, unemployment rates decreased in all 88
counties. The comparable March unemployment rate for Ohio was 4.0%. (See table on next page.)


Twenty-two counties had unemployment rates at or below 3.5% in March. The counties with the lowest rates, other than Holmes were: Mercer, 2.7%; Auglaize and Union, 3.0%; Delaware, 3.1%; Hancock, Warren, and Wyandot, 3.3%; Franklin, Paulding, Shelby, Van Wert and Wayne, 3.4%; and Champaign, Defiance, Fairfield, Greene, Licking, Madison, Medina, Preble, and Putnam, 3.5%.

Nine counties had unemployment rates at or above 5.5% in March. The counties with the highest rates, other than Noble and Ottawa were: Pike, 6.0%; Meigs, 5.8%; Adams and Monroe, 5.7%; Huron and Trumbull, 5.6%; and Morgan, 5.5%.

EDITOR’S NOTE: These estimates, prepared in cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, are based on 2025 benchmark and geared to county of residence. Unemployment rates for all Ohio counties as well as cities with populations of 25,000 or more are presented in the monthly ODJFS Civilian Labor Force Estimates publication. For updated
statewide historical data, visit https://ohiolmi.com/DataSearch, or contact the Bureau of Labor Market Information at (614) 752-9494.

April 2026 unemployment rates and nonagricultural wage and salary data for Ohio will be
released by ODJFS on Friday, May 22, 2026. Unemployment rates for counties, cities, and
metropolitan areas will be available on Wednesday, May 27, 2026

INDIANA

Jay County’s unemployment rate went down by 0.3 percentage points in March to 3.3%, according to estimates released Thursday by Indiana Department of Workforce Development. That ranked the county 29th-lowest in the state.

Area unemployment rates

  • Adams County: 3.2%, down 0.1 percentage points, tied for 24th-lowest
  • Blackford County: 4%, down 0.4 percentage points, tied for 14th-highest
  • Delaware County: 4.1%, down 0.2 percentage points, tied for ninth-highest
  • Grant County: 3.7%, down 0.2 percentage points, tied for 21st-highest
  • Henry County: 3.5%, down 0.4 percentage points, tied for 29th-highest
  • Jay County: 3.3%, down 0.3 percentage points, tied for 29th-lowest
  • Randolph County: 3.3%, down 0.7 percentage points, tied for 29th-lowest
  • Wayne County: 3.6%, down 0.3 percentage points, tied for 24th-highest
  • Wells County: 2.7%, down 0.3 percentage points, tied for second-lowest