3/26/19 – 10:27 A.M.

After going up in January, the unemployment rate went back down in February in our area. New numbers from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services show Hancock County now stands at 3.4 percent unemployment. That’s down from 4 percent in January. The jobless rate is also slightly below where it was in February of 2018.

The next lowest unemployment rate is in Wyandot County. February figures put the jobless rate at 3.6 percent there, down from 4.2 percent the month before. Putnam County is also below 4 percent unemployment, dropping to 3.8 percent last month.

Wood (4.0), Hardin (4.2) Allen (4.4) and Seneca (4.7) Counties were all below 5 percent unemployment. Henry County has the highest jobless rate in the area at 6.4 percent.