All six area counties see unemployment rates below 3.5%.

All six area counties saw unemployment rates below 3.5% in November, that’s according to figures posted by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. The lowest continues to be Putnam County, at 2.1%…while Paulding County wasn’t far behind at 2.6. Putnam’s rate is tied for second among Ohio’s 88 counties. The highest area rate was Henry County at 3.3%, but not by much…with Defiance at 3.1%, and Fulton and Williams each at 3%. The number of people classified as “unemployed” in October by county…were Defiance, at 500…Fulton, with 700 Henry reports 400…Paulding, 200…and Williams, at 600. Statewide, the unemployment rate in November was 3.6% with a labor force of 5.8 million according to the state…while the national rate in November was at 3.7%. The lowest rate in the state in November was Mercer County in west central Ohio at 1.9% while Putnam, Holmes and Wyandot counties were tied for third at 2.1%. Numerous counties were below 3% across Ohio. The highest state unemployment figure in November was 4.9% in Ottawa County, east of Toledo.