Ohio unemployment rate falls to 4.3 percent in January

Ohio’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.3 percent in January 2026, down from 4.4 percent in December 2025, according to new figures released by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. The state also saw nonagricultural wage and salary employment increase by 16,300 over the month, rising from 5,663,400 in December to 5,679,700 in January.

The report shows the number of unemployed workers in Ohio fell to 255,000 in January, compared to 258,000 in December. Over the past 12 months, that number has dropped by 34,000 from 289,000 in January 2025.

Nationally, the U.S. unemployment rate also came in at 4.3 percent in January, down from 4.4 percent in December but up from 4.0 percent a year earlier. Ohio’s labor force participation rate was 62.2 percent in January, compared to 62.1 percent nationally.

State employment gains were led by the private service-providing sector, which added 17,000 jobs over the month. The biggest increases came in trade, transportation and utilities, private educational and health services, professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality. Government employment also rose by 1,200, while goods-producing industries posted a decline of 1,900 jobs.

Compared to January of last year, Ohio added 23,100 nonagricultural wage and salary jobs overall. Construction led the gains among goods-producing industries, while private educational and health services showed the strongest year-over-year growth in the service sector.