May 2014 MSA Employment Figures (Columbus, Cleveland: metropolitan area, area, employers)

[RustBeltOptimist]

Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment (Monthly) News Release

Year over year job growth in Ohio (May 2013 to May 2014)

Overall: +40,700

1. Cincinnati-Middletown +21,300
2. Columbus +10,200
3. Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor +6800
4. Akron +4500
5. Toledo +2200
6 (tie). Springfield +1200
6 (tie). Youngstown-Warren-Boardman +1200
8. Dayton +700
9. Sandusky 0
10. Steubenville-Weirton -200
11 (tie). Lima -300
11 (tie). Mansfield -300
12. Canton-Massillon -1700

I'm posting this because I read John Kasich's remarks at the JobsOhio board meeting re: energy jobs in the state, and it doesn't quite square with the actual numbers. 94% of the state's new jobs over the last year have been in the 3C's, far away from the fracking and shale boom hotbed in the east, with most of these jobs completely unrelated to that sector.

Changes in this from April:

Cincinnati had another big jump, and is now growing jobs at 2.1% year over year compared to 1.7% in April, Akron meanwhile dropped from a 1.9% growth rate to 1.4%. May seemed hard on Ohio's smaller cities, with Lima, Mansfield, Steubenville and Sandusky all seeing significant drops in their growth rates. Canton, meanwhile, can't get out of the slump and is the only major Ohio city yet to see a turnaround.

Most Ohio cities saw a slight uptick in their unemployment rates, but this is actually a good thing in most cases as it was a reflection of increases in the civilian labor pool, meaning working age adults lost during the recession are re-entering the workforce. Cleveland's still losing ground, however, with 8000 fewer workers than the year ago survey. Columbus for the second straight month showed a rare anomaly of having more jobs (994,700) in the employer survey, than workforce population (982,400) in the labor force survey. I wonder a bit about what this means, albeit it does make some sense to me as I'm in a household that has one full time job in the Columbus metro but a residence in the Cincinnati metro. They probably capture employers that utilize households like mine, as well as those that have added together multiple part time or temp jobs.

[unusualfire]

Wow Cincinnati outperforming the whole state put together.

[jbcmh81]

Where Ohio and the major metros are on long-term jobs and recession recoveries. Youngstown and Dayton appear to be doing the worst, Columbus and Cincinnati the best. The order of the pics are: Ohio, Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown.

[jbcmh81]

Here are the % job recoveries from recession bottom to May 2014.

Akron: 63.5%
Cincinnati: 95.0%
Cleveland: 60.0%
Columbus: 151.4%
Dayton: 42.1%
Toledo: 65.1%
Youngstown: 52.9%

Ohio has gained back 67.8% of the jobs it lost through May, so all but 2 metros are running behind the state on their recoveries.

[RustBeltOptimist]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

Here are the % job recoveries from recession bottom to May 2014.

Akron: 63.5%
Cincinnati: 95.0%
Cleveland: 60.0%
Columbus: 151.4%
Dayton: 42.1%
Toledo: 65.1%
Youngstown: 52.9%

Ohio has gained back 67.8% of the jobs it lost through May, so all but 2 metros are running behind the state on their recoveries.

Yep, what I'm seeing is that the state's recovery over the last four years has been mostly city driven (first in Columbus, now also in Cincy, soon probably in Cleveland and Toledo) rather than energy sector driven. I think the state's economic focus should be to keep these MSA engines running and get investment help to those that are stalling. Diversification of state employment can as easily be achieved through start-up development and small business lending as it can in allowing out of state energy concerns to raid our natural resources.