COLUMBUS – Ohio’s unemployment rate was 4.2 percent in October 2019, unchanged from September.

Ohio’s non-agricultural wage and salary employment decreased 1,000 over the month, from a revised 5,593,100 in September to 5,592,100 in October 2019.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in October was 246,000, up 3,000 from 243,000 in September. The number of unemployed has decreased by 19,000 in the past 12 months from 265,000. The October unemployment rate for Ohio decreased from 4.6 percent in October 2018.

The U.S. unemployment rate for October was 3.6 percent, up from 3.5 percent in September and down from 3.8 percent in October 2018.

Ohio’s non-agricultural wage and salary employment decreased 1,000 over the month, from a revised 5,593,100 in September to 5,592,100 in October, according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Goods-producing industries, at 924,600, lost 3,200 jobs from September as losses in manufacturing (-2,300) and construction (-1,000) exceeded gains in mining and logging (+100). The private service-providing sector, at 3,884,100, lost 800 jobs.

Employment losses in other services (-2,300), trade, transportation and utilities (-1,700) and professional and business services (-1,700) outpaced gains in leisure and hospitality (+2,400), educational and health services (+2,300) and information (+200).

Financial activities did not change over the month. Government employment, at 783,400, increased 3,000 as gains in local (+3,100) and state (+700) government exceeded losses in federal government (-800).

From October 2018 to October 2019, non-agricultural wage and salary employment grew 19,600. Employment in goods-producing industries decreased 10,400.

Manufacturing decreased 2,000 jobs as losses in durable goods (-2,300) exceeded gains in non-durable goods (+300). Construction lost 8,600 jobs while mining and logging added 200 jobs. Private service-providing industries added 23,600 jobs.

Employment gains in educational and health services (+12,600), leisure and hospitality (+12,400), professional and business services (+3,400) and financial activities (+2,400) surpassed losses in trade, transportation and utilities (-6,000), information (-700) and other services (-500). Government employment increased 6,400 with gains in local (+4,700), state (+1,600) and federal (+100) government.