Department of Numbers

Columbus, Ohio Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Columbus fell 0.0 percentage points in March 2013 to 6.1%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.0 percentage points lower than the Ohio rate. The unemployment rate in Columbus peaked in January 2010 at 9.2% and is now 3.1 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 5.7% in November 2012, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.4 percentage points. You can also compare Columbus unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate March 2013 Month/Month Year/Year
National 7.6% -0.1 -0.6
Ohio 7.1% 0.0 -0.3
Columbus 6.1% 0.0 -0.3
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with March 2013 data as April metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Columbus, Ohio, National

Columbus, Ohio monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Columbus, Ohio Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Columbus peaked in February 2010 at 88,829. There are now 29,200 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 55,217 in December 2012, the number of unemployed has now grown by 4,412. Columbus employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Columbus, Ohio) is also available.

Unemployed Persons March 2013 Month/Month Year/Year
Columbus 59,629 +266 -2,785

Number of Unemployed Persons

Columbus, Ohio Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate 		Ohio
Unemployment Rate 		Columbus
Unemployment Rate 		Columbus
Unemployed
April
2013 		7.5% 7.0% — —
March
2013 		7.6% 7.1% 6.1% 59,629
February
2013 		7.7% 7.1% 6.1% 59,363
January
2013 		7.9% 7.0% 6.0% 58,479
December
2012 		7.8% 6.7% 5.7% 55,217
November
2012 		7.8% 6.8% 5.7% 55,588
October
2012 		7.9% 6.9% 5.8% 56,125
September
2012 		7.8% 7.0% 5.9% 56,789
August
2012 		8.1% 7.2% 5.9% 57,522
July
2012 		8.2% 7.2% 6.0% 58,305
June
2012 		8.2% 7.3% 6.1% 59,217
May
2012 		8.2% 7.3% 6.2% 60,266
April
2012 		8.1% 7.3% 6.3% 61,332

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers. ↩

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