Jobless rate in Valley rose in July to 10.3%

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning Valley’s unemployment rate rose for the second-straight month in July but still is considerably lower than the same month last year.

The unemployment rate for the three-county area of Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties in July was 10.3 percent, lower than 11.4 percent registered in July 2010 and higher than the 10 percent mark posted last month.

Unemployment rates normally rise in the summer months because of an increased labor force made up primarily of students and some part-time teachers.

That fact was true in July, when the registered work force in the Valley was 275,400, the highest monthly total since August 2009.

Of that total, there were 28,400 unemployed Valley residents, a decrease of 2,900 compared with July 2010.

The number of employed rose by 3,200 in the same time frame.

Mahoning County posted the highest unemployment rate among the three counties at 12 percent. Columbiana followed at 10.6 percent; Trumbull had a 10.2 percent unemployment rate.