(6-24-26) In May 2026, Ohio’s statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 3.7%. This is a 0.2 percentage point drop from April’s 3.9% rate and a 1.0 percentage point decrease from the May 2025 rate of 4.7%.

Holmes County had the state’s lowest jobless rate in May, 2.0 percent.

14 counties had unemployment rates at or below 2.5 percent in May. Those counties with the lowest rates,—

  • Mercer 2.1 %
  • Auglaize 2.2%
  • Union 2.2%
  • Putnam 2.3%
  • Wyandot 2.3%
  • Delaware 2.4%
  • Madison 2.4%
  • Logan 2.5%
  • Paulding 2.5%
  • Preble 2.5%
  • Shelby 2.5%
  • Van Wert 2.5%
  • Wayne 2.5%

Trumbull County had the highest unemployment rate at 4.1%.

In Indiana…

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development says the state’s unemployment rate for May is at 3.3 percent, which is unchanged from the previous month.

That’s well below the national average of 4.3 percent reported for May.

Indiana May 2026 Employment Report

INDIANAPOLIS (June 23, 2026) – The unemployment rate of the State of Indiana in May was recorded to be 3.3% according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. By comparison, the national unemployment rate reported for May was 4.3%.

In addition, Indiana’s labor force participation rate is 63.2% compared to the national rate of 61.8%. This rate is the percentage of Hoosiers 16 and older that are either working or actively looking for work. Those not in the labor force include, primarily, students, retirees and other non-working populations, such as individuals unable to work due to a disability or illness, or adults responsible for their family’s childcare needs. Indiana’s total labor force stands at 3,489,693.

May 2026 total private employment is 2,843,000 an increase of 3,800 since April. 

Industries that experienced job increases this month included:

  • Construction (+1,800)
  • Leisure & Hospitality (+1,700)
  • Professional & Business Services (+1,500)
  • Trade, Transportation & Utilities (+500)
  • Manufacturing (+200)

As of May 31, 2026, there were 94,059 open job postings throughout the state. As of the week ending on June 6, 2026, Indiana had 19,068 continued unemployment insurance claims filed.