Staff report

Approximately 11,500 Valley residents were unemployed in June with a quarter of those from Youngstown and Warren, the state reported Tuesday.

In its June civilian labor force estimates and labor market review, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services posted Youngstown’s unemployment rate at 7.4%, compared to 6.7% in June 2024. Of the city’s labor force of 22,600, 20,900 are working and 1,700 are without jobs.

The city of Warren had a workforce of 14,100 last month, the state agency said. A total of 1,200 were unemployed, making up the rate of 8.5%. For the same period in 2024, that number was 7%.

Figures have been rounded and may not equal 100%. Nor has the data been seasonally adjusted. June’s numbers are preliminary, the agency said.

Mahoning and Trumbull counties also saw a rise in unemployment since June 2024.

Mahoning’s June rate was 5.6% (5.2%, June 2024) with 5,900 out of work. Trumbull posted a 6.2% mark (5.4%, June 2024) with 5,600 affected.

Statewide last month, 303,100 Ohioans were out of work for an unemployment rate of 5.1% (4.7%, June 2024).

Some highlights from the state assessment include:

• The number of Ohio workers in the government sector fell 1,200 from the previous month; since June 2024, it was 2,100. Nine hundred state workers, which includes those at state universities and hospitals, were displaced from May to June. In the same time frame, 300 civil federal employees lost their jobs. Local government numbers were unaffected, the state agency reported.

• Manufacturing (1,500) and construction (600) added jobs in June.

• Over a 10-year period, the Youngstown-Warren area had its highest civilian labor force in 2016 with 205,900, Of those 192,800 were working. Last month, 184,600 of the Valley’s 196,100 workers were employed.

• The average weekly earnings last month for Valley workers was $864.28. In that same period, the person averaged 32.8 hours per week at an average hourly wage of $26.35.

• Ohioans filed 5,143 initial unemployment claims last week, which was 1,815 fewer than the previous week. The total number of claims filed from July 13-19 was 56,938.