Department of Numbers

Columbus, Ohio Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Columbus fell 0.4 percentage points in December 2011 to 7.1%. 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 December 2009 at 9.1% and is now 2.0 percentage points lower. You can also compare Columbus unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate December 2011 Month/Month Year/Year
National 8.5% -0.2 -0.9
Ohio 8.1% -0.4 -1.4
Columbus 7.1% -0.4 -1.1
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with December 2011 data as January 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 January 2010 at 87,762. There are now 20,299 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Columbus employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Columbus, Ohio) is also available.

Unemployed Persons December 2011 Month/Month Year/Year
Columbus 67,463 -3,664 -11,778

Number of Unemployed Persons

Columbus, Ohio Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Ohio
Unemployment Rate
Columbus
Unemployment Rate
Columbus
Unemployed
January
2012
8.3%
December
2011
8.5% 8.1% 7.1% 67,463
November
2011
8.7% 8.5% 7.5% 71,127
October
2011
8.9% 9.0% 7.8% 74,926
September
2011
9.0% 9.1% 7.9% 75,625
August
2011
9.1% 9.1% 7.9% 75,385
July
2011
9.1% 9.0% 7.7% 74,507
June
2011
9.1% 8.8% 7.6% 73,227
May
2011
9.0% 8.6% 7.4% 71,855
April
2011
9.0% 8.6% 7.4% 71,708
March
2011
8.9% 8.9% 7.7% 74,276
February
2011
9.0% 9.2% 8.0% 77,067
January
2011
9.1% 9.3% 8.1% 78,353

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.