Ohio unemployment rate drops to 7.7 percent

COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio’s unemployment rate went down for the third month in a row in January thanks to continued strength in the state’s health care sector.

Joblessness fell to 7.7 percent in January, down from an adjusted 7.9 percent in December, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said Friday.

Payrolls outside of farms rose 32,800 over the last month to 5.1 million, the state said. The total number of unemployed people decreased by 11,000 from December to January.

Family services spokesman Ben Johnson says the labor market shrinkage includes people who took themselves out of the workforce and adjustments based on recent revised Census figures.

The leisure and hospitality industries added 6,800 positions while education and health services added 6,000.