May unemployment drops to 5.6 percent

YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning Valley’s nonseasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in May 2015 compared with 6.3 percent in May 2014.

The civilian labor force increased from 251,000 in May 2014 to 253,000 last month, according to figures released today by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Employment also increased to 238,800 in May compared with 234,900 a year ago.

Also, unemployment dropped from 15,700 in May 2014 to 14,300 last month.

“The May 2014 to May 2015 improvement in all three counties in the Mahoning Valley shows us that we are in fact recovering,” Cleveland-based Economist George Zeller said.

Ohio’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remains the same at 5.2 percent in May from April but down from 5.7 percent in May 2014.