Ohio's unemployment rate was 7.2 percent in September, down from 7.4 percent in August, according to data released by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

"Ohio's labor market showed little change in September," ODJFS Director Helen Jones-Kelley said. "The decline in the unemployment rate can be attributed to normal fluctuations in educational employment this time of year." That statements means teachers get hired into the system or get back to teaching.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in September was 434,000, down from 445,000 in August. The number of unemployed has increased by 93,000 in the past 12 months from 341,000. The September unemployment rate for Ohio was up from 5.7 percent in September 2007.

Among the state's 88 counties, the September 2008 unemployment rates ranged from a low of 5.2 percent in Delaware County to a high of 10.7 percent in Pike County. Rates decreased in 59 of the 88 counties. Union County also had a rate below 6%.

Crawford County had the tenth-highest rate in the state at 9.3%. Wyandot was 23rd in the state at 8% while Marion’s rate ranked it at 34th in the state. Marion’s unemployment rate was 7.6% and Morrow County came in at 6.9%.