YOUNGSTOWN — The two largest cities in Mahoning and Trumbull counties were Nos. 1 and 2 at the start of 2020 in Ohio for the highest unemployment rates among cities in the state.

Youngstown was No. 2 with a rate of 7.6 percent in January, while Warren was No. 1 with a rate of 8.2 percent, according to numbers from the state.

Among counties in the Mahoning Valley, Mahoning County’s rate was 6.9 percent, putting it in a three-way tie with Erie, Highland and Muskingum counties for 19th worst in the state, and Trumbull County was 14th worst with a rate of 7.5 percent.

Columbiana County was 25th with a rate of 6.3 percent.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services released the January numbers last week. February jobs numbers will be released at the end the month.

Across Ohio, Monroe County in the southeast corner of the state remained as the highest unemployment rate, with a rate of 12.3 percent, and Mercer County in western Ohio remained the lowest at 3.3 percent.

In Mahoning County in January, 101,700 were in the labor force, with 94,700 employed and 7,000 unemployed. The month prior the rate was 5.2 percent with 101,700 in the labor force, 96,400 employed and 5,300 unemployed.

A year ago in January, the labor force had 103,100, with 96,000 employed and 7,200 unemployed, a rate of 6.9 percent.

The numbers show in January in Trumbull County the civilian labor force was 85,800, with 79,300 unemployed and 6,400 unemployed, compared to December, when 85,600 were in the labor force, 80,800 were employed and 4,800 were not, a rate of 5.6 percent.

A year ago in January, the rate was 7.4 percent. The labor force had 86,900, with 80,400 employed and 6,500 unemployed.

The 7.6 percent rate in Youngstown is 1.5 percent greater than the rate in December. In January 2018, Youngstown reached 8.4 percent.

The 8.2 percent mark Warren hit in January is up from 6.5 percent in December. A year ago in January, the rate was 8.3 percent.

Ohio’ seasonally adjusted rate in January was 4.1 percent, where it stood in December. Nationally, the rate was 3.6 percent, up 0.1 percent from December.