Ohio’s unemployment rate held steady at 7.2 percent last month, unchanged from June but down from 8.9 percent in July 2011, according to data released this morning by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Unemployment in the Buckeye state was also lower than the national rate for July of 8.3 percent, up from 8.2 percent in June
The state added 11,000 non-farm jobs last month led primarily by gains in educational and health services, which added 11,700 jobs. But that growth was offset by continued cutbacks by state and local governments, which shed 5,300 jobs, and 4,300 jobs losses in the construction industry.
The number of unemployed workers in Ohio last month fell by 2,000 from June to 418,000. The number of unemployed has decreased by 97,000 in the past 12 months from 515,000.