Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, though experts’ views on a potential recession are mixed. The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2007-2009—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until the spring of 2019 that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.As of April 2023, national unemployment is at 3.4%, with little change from March. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.9% in South Dakota to 5.4% in Nevada.

Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Ohio using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in March 2023, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain.

50. Portage County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
  — 1 month change: No change
  — 1 year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 85,240 people (3,462 unemployed)
  Mikhalis Makarov // Shutterstock

49. Lake County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Down 1.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 125,393 people (5,099 unemployed)
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48. Hardin County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
  — 1 month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 12,795 people (543 unemployed)
  Roberto Galan // Shutterstock

47. Defiance County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
  — 1 month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 17,169 people (717 unemployed)
  BLAZE Pro // Shutterstock

46. Stark County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
  — 1 year change: No change
• Total labor force: 182,104 people (7,659 unemployed)
  arthurgphotography // Shutterstock

45. Hocking County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 13,073 people (567 unemployed)
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44. Fayette County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 13,591 people (583 unemployed)
  Roberto Galan // Shutterstock

43. Fulton County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
  — 1 year change: No change
• Total labor force: 21,796 people (941 unemployed)
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42. Ashland County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 25,742 people (1,114 unemployed)
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41. Seneca County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
  — 1 month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
• Total labor force: 26,086 people (1,121 unemployed)
  Showcase Imaging // Shutterstock

40. Summit County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 265,535 people (11,333 unemployed)
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39. Cuyahoga County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Down 1.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 601,652 people (25,923 unemployed)
  Henryk Sadura // Shutterstock

38. Sandusky County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
  — 1 month change: No change
  — 1 year change: Down 2.9 percentage points
• Total labor force: 29,486 people (1,303 unemployed)
  BLAZE Pro // Shutterstock

37. Tuscarawas County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
• Total labor force: 44,671 people (1,971 unemployed)
  Lake Front Drones // Shutterstock

36. Lorain County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Down 2.4 percentage points
• Total labor force: 154,110 people (6,841 unemployed)
  Michael Shake // Shutterstock

35. Lucas County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 205,582 people (9,326 unemployed)
  Aiwilliams // Shutterstock

34. Carroll County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 12,631 people (580 unemployed)
  The American Explorer // Shutterstock

33. Lawrence County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 23,521 people (1,093 unemployed)
  JNix // Shutterstock

32. Clinton County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
  — 1 month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 17,941 people (860 unemployed)
  redtbird02 // Shutterstock

31. Ashtabula County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
  — 1 year change: No change
• Total labor force: 42,960 people (2,052 unemployed)
  JNix // Shutterstock

30. Gallia County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 12,290 people (597 unemployed)
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29. Crawford County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 17,680 people (875 unemployed)
  ADC Bradley // Shutterstock

28. Brown County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 19,909 people (984 unemployed)
  Wendy van Overstreet // Shutterstock

27. Athens County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
  — 1 month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 27,219 people (1,340 unemployed)
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26. Muskingum County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 40,780 people (1,985 unemployed)
  JNix // Shutterstock

25. Columbiana County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
• Total labor force: 44,632 people (2,200 unemployed)
  Donna Wickerham // Shutterstock

24. Richland County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
• Total labor force: 50,859 people (2,507 unemployed)
  JNix // Shutterstock

23. Perry County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 16,117 people (800 unemployed)
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22. Mahoning County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
  — 1 month change: No change
  — 1 year change: No change
• Total labor force: 98,398 people (4,899 unemployed)
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21. Trumbull County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 83,121 people (4,253 unemployed)
  JNix // Shutterstock

20. Harrison County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 6,440 people (335 unemployed)
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19. Washington County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
• Total labor force: 26,602 people (1,378 unemployed)
  James Marciniak // Shutterstock

18. Jackson County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
  — 1 year change: No change
• Total labor force: 12,356 people (656 unemployed)
  Madison Muskopf // Shutterstock

17. Coshocton County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
• Total labor force: 13,563 people (726 unemployed)
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16. Henry County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
• Total labor force: 12,593 people (698 unemployed)
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15. Guernsey County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 17,641 people (991 unemployed)
  JNix // Shutterstock

13. Belmont County (tie)

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 27,017 people (1,512 unemployed)
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13. Jefferson County (tie)

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
  — 1 month change: No change
  — 1 year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 27,085 people (1,512 unemployed)
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12. Scioto County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
• Total labor force: 29,853 people (1,717 unemployed)
  The American Explorer // Shutterstock

11. Vinton County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
• Total labor force: 5,437 people (323 unemployed)
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10. Pike County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
• Total labor force: 11,138 people (661 unemployed)
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9. Highland County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
• Total labor force: 17,726 people (1,048 unemployed)
  Big Joe // Shutterstock

8. Erie County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
  — 1 month change: No change
  — 1 year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
• Total labor force: 35,226 people (2,087 unemployed)
  Kenneth Keifer // Shutterstock

7. Noble County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 6%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
• Total labor force: 4,582 people (277 unemployed)
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6. Morgan County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 6,924 people (429 unemployed)
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5. Meigs County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
• Total labor force: 8,692 people (559 unemployed)
  Keith J Finks // Shutterstock

4. Huron County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.4%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
• Total labor force: 27,637 people (1,757 unemployed)
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3. Ottawa County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.5%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
  — 1 year change: No change
• Total labor force: 19,905 people (1,302 unemployed)
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2. Monroe County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
  — 1 month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
• Total labor force: 5,165 people (358 unemployed)
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1. Adams County

• March unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
  — 1 month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
  — 1 year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 11,252 people (782 unemployed)

This article was originally published on Stacker and republished pursuant to a CC BY-NC 4.0 License.