For about the last two years, the unemployment rate in Ohio counties had seen a slow, steady decline.   But that has changed dramatically in the past two months, with double digit jobless rates reported in Henry and Fulton County for the month of January.    The highest unemployment rate in the region is Fulton County’s rate of 10.5%.  That’s a nearly 3% jump in one month.               Henry County’s jobless rate hit 10%, compared with 7.4% the month before.   In the past two month’s Henry County’s unemployment is up by close to 4%.

Defiance County had the lowest unemployment in the four county area in January, at 8.3%; while Williams County checked-in at 8.8%.    Putnam County continued their trend of having the lowest jobless rate in the region, at 7.4%.   But even that figure is 2% higher than the previous month.   Wood County reported unemployment in January at 8.1%.

            Around the Buckeye State; the highest jobless rate was 15.3% in Pike County; while Mercer County and Delaware County had the lowest unemployment in January, at 5.3 and 5.8% respectively.