January jobless rate falls in Ohio to 7.7 percent

Mark Bucher of Oregon, Ohio, interviews at a job fair earlier this year at Raceway Park in Toledo.

The number of unemployed workers in Ohio continues to fall. State officials reported Friday a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 7.7 percent for January, down two-tenths of a percentage point from December.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said Ohio added 32,800 jobs over the month, while the number of unemployed workers dropped to 447,000 in January from 458,000 in December.

Officials said the largest job gains were in the leisure and hospitality segment, which added 6,800 jobs, and construction, which added 6,200. Significant gains were also seen in professional and business services, and trade, transportation and utilities.

Ohio's unemployment rate is now six-tenths of a percentage point lower than the national rate, which for January was 8.3 percent.