Columbus, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio's unemployment rate was 8.8 percent in January, up from the revised rate of 7.4 in December and the highest level in more than 20 years, according to data released Friday by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in January was 524,000, up from 445,000 in December.
The number of unemployed has increased by 181,000 in the past year from 343,000.
The January unemployment rate for Ohio was up from 5.7 percent in January 2008.
The U.S. unemployment rate for January was 7.6 percent, up from 7.2 percent in December.
Ohio's unemployment rate hit 8.9 percent in November 1985.
State unemployment hit an all-time high of 13.8 percent in December 1982 and January 1983.
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services says the unemployment rate rose as job losses increased in both the goods-producing and service-providing industries.
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