Fulton County unemployment for December 2010 was 10.6%, the first time the rate has reached double digits in four months.

County unemployment, as estimated by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, topped 10% in December 2008, and stayed above that level until August 2010, when it fell to 9.7%. It dropped to 9.6% in September, increased to 9.7% in October, then reached 9.9% in November.

During December, Defi- ance County had the lowest unemployment in the fourcounty area. Unemployment declined from 10.6% in November to 9.9% in December.

Henry County went from a revised 10.8% in November to 11.1% in December. Williams County fell from 11.4% to 11.1%

ODJFS estimated there were 22,400 persons in the Fulton County workforce. The agency estimated 20,000 persons were employed, and 2,400 were unemployed.

Ottawa County, east of neighboring Lucas County, had the highest December unemployment rate, 16.3%, followed by Clinton County in Southwest Ohio, at 15%.

The lowest unemployment rate, 6.6%, was found in Holmes County in east-central Ohio, and Delaware County, in central Ohio.

Of the 88 Ohio counties, 49 had unemployment rates of 10% or higher in December.

Fulton County tied with Van Wert and Shelby counties for the 32nd-lowest unemployment rate.

All county unemployment figures are not seasonally adjusted. Comparable figures for the state and nation were 9.3% and 9.1%, respectively.

When seasonal adjustments were applied, ODJFS said the December unemployment rate for Ohio was 9.6%. The national rate was 9.4%.

UNEMPLOYMENT in the four-county area

*Revised from original announcement.
Bold type: lowest unemployment rate in
the four county area.
Figures are not seasonally adjusted.
Statistics are estimates from the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services, Bureau of Labor Market Information. Archbold Buckeye chart.