Ohio’s labor force data is a sign that Ohio’s economy is still struggling. Ohio’s working age population has steadily risen since 1999. However, the number of Ohioans actually working has dropped sharply since 2007 and is less than it was in 1999. Ohio’s labor force participation rate is just above the national rate of 63 percent. Ohio’s labor force participation rate is significantly below its peak of 67.8 percent in 2007.
Unemployment numbers for Ohio (and other states) can be very misleading because those numbers do not take into account those who have left the work force or those who are underemployed. The unemployment rate does not give a complete picture of how Ohio’s economy is performing.
To download this report, click here: Labor Force Participation Rate
