Knox County’s unemployment situation improved from March to April, as more are finding seasonal work.
The county’s significant 1.2 percent drop in the unemployment rate was on par, if not more significant than most years in the time period from March to April.
Across the state jobs in construction and leisure/hospitality led the 80,600 non-farm payrolls added, a sign we’ve definitely entered the warmer months.
Still, Knox’s 5.4 percent unemployment rate is almost a point and a half higher than last April and is worse than the state average of 4 percent.
The local labor force does show signs of stabilizing, after at least a decade of steady decline.
The number of people seeking work in Knox County has hovered close to about 21,800 for the trailing five months.
Warren County also improved their unemployment rate, now down just above the state average, at 4.3 percent.
Stark County has the highest unemployment rate in the state at 7.2 percent.
