New data indicates that the Greater Cincinnati region lost thousands of jobs throughout the back half of 2025.According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Greater Cincinnati finished the year with approximately the same number of jobs that it had in late 2024, fully shedding the gains in employment that the region had made during the first half of 2025.The most recent federal jobs report indicates there were approximately 1,172,200 non-farm jobs being worked throughout the region in October. This is 5,500 fewer jobs than the region’s all-time high seen during June, when there were approximately 1,177,700 recorded jobs.Preliminary reports indicate that job numbers only continued to shrink even further in November, with an estimated 2,800 fewer jobs from the month before. Although BLS notes that these stats are liable to change until the data undergoes a routine review and revision process. If confirmed, however, it would mark approximately 8,300 fewer jobs in the region between June and November. Driving the numbers were massive job losses that were seen in the leisure and hospitality industry, with the sector undergoing a 12.9% contraction between job numbers seen in June and the preliminary numbers seen in November. This equates to a loss of approximately 17,800 jobs, which is more than an eighth of the sector’s active labor force that disappeared in the late summer and fall.Significant, though less dramatic job losses in the sectors of manufacturing, information and financial activities were also seen.Meanwhile, job growth was seen in public service jobs that managed to offset these declines, with the sectors of education, health services, and government all recording employment gains in late 2025.Job numbers for December have not yet been published.However, despite this contraction of the active labor force, the bureau’s statistics also indicate that the region’s unemployment rate (which consists of people who don’t have a job but are actively looking for work) significantly shrank throughout the same time frame.According to the data, Greater Cincinnati saw a five-year high in its unemployment rate in July, reaching 5.3%. However, the unemployment rate has continued to regularly shrink since then, reaching a preliminarily estimated 3.8% in November. The Greater Cincinnati metro region, as it is defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, consists of five counties in southwest Ohio, seven counties in northern Kentucky, and three counties in southeast Indiana.
CINCINNATI —
New data indicates that the Greater Cincinnati region lost thousands of jobs throughout the back half of 2025.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Greater Cincinnati finished the year with approximately the same number of jobs that it had in late 2024, fully shedding the gains in employment that the region had made during the first half of 2025.
The most recent federal jobs report indicates there were approximately 1,172,200 non-farm jobs being worked throughout the region in October. This is 5,500 fewer jobs than the region’s all-time high seen during June, when there were approximately 1,177,700 recorded jobs.
Preliminary reports indicate that job numbers only continued to shrink even further in November, with an estimated 2,800 fewer jobs from the month before. Although BLS notes that these stats are liable to change until the data undergoes a routine review and revision process. If confirmed, however, it would mark approximately 8,300 fewer jobs in the region between June and November.
Driving the numbers were massive job losses that were seen in the leisure and hospitality industry, with the sector undergoing a 12.9% contraction between job numbers seen in June and the preliminary numbers seen in November. This equates to a loss of approximately 17,800 jobs, which is more than an eighth of the sector’s active labor force that disappeared in the late summer and fall.
Significant, though less dramatic job losses in the sectors of manufacturing, information and financial activities were also seen.
Meanwhile, job growth was seen in public service jobs that managed to offset these declines, with the sectors of education, health services, and government all recording employment gains in late 2025.
Job numbers for December have not yet been published.
However, despite this contraction of the active labor force, the bureau’s statistics also indicate that the region’s unemployment rate (which consists of people who don’t have a job but are actively looking for work) significantly shrank throughout the same time frame.
According to the data, Greater Cincinnati saw a five-year high in its unemployment rate in July, reaching 5.3%. However, the unemployment rate has continued to regularly shrink since then, reaching a preliminarily estimated 3.8% in November.
The Greater Cincinnati metro region, as it is defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, consists of five counties in southwest Ohio, seven counties in northern Kentucky, and three counties in southeast Indiana.