CEOGC DATA

The Council for Economic Opportunties in Greater Cleveland generates a variety of data on poverty, income, job and earnings trends, welfare change, and other measures of local economic conditions. The continually updated data are available here in pdf format.

NEW- The State of Poverty in Ohio: 2005

Published by the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies, this seventh annual report contains updated CEOGC data on trends in Ohio income inequality, the impact of the 2001-2004 Ohio recession, a significant poverty undercount in the 2000 census, and figures documenting large cuts in the federal minimum wage that have moved low wage workers into poverty. Updated job growth figures now show that Ohio has lost 228,656 jobs during the recession, a loss of one out of every 23 jobs in the state. The recession caused widespread income losses for average taxpayers in Ohio.

Download The State of Poverty in Ohio: 2005 911K pdf file
Press Relese for The State of Poverty in Ohio: 2005

The State of Poverty in Ohio: 2004

Published by the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies, this sixth annual report contains CEOGC data on current trends in Ohio income inequality, the impact of the 2001-2004 Ohio recession, a significant poverty undercount in the 2000 census, and figures documenting large cuts in the federal minimum wage that have moved low wage workers into poverty. 

Download The State of Poverty in Ohio: 2004 665K pdf file

The State of Poverty in Ohio: 2003

Published by the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies, this fifth annual report contains CEOGC data on current trends in Ohio income inequality, the impact of the 2001-2003 Ohio recession, and a significant poverty undercount in the 2000 census. Updated job growth figures now show that Ohio has lost 134,429 jobs during the past year, and has lost 203,212 during the past two years.

Download The State of Poverty in Ohio: 2003 506K pdf file

The State of Poverty in Ohio: 2002

Published by the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies, this fourth annual report contains CEOGC data on current trends in Ohio income inequality, the impact of the 2001-2002 Ohio recession, and the relationship between child poverty and welfare reform. Updated job growth figures now show that 87 of Ohio's 88 counties have lost jobs at some point during the current recession. Delaware County is the only exception.

Download part one: Analysis and Recommendations 1100K pdf file

Download part two: Data and Statistics 716K pdf file

1986-2002 Income Trends in Ohio Counties and School Districts

Income inequality grew significantly across Ohio during the 1980's and 1990's. Data on the mean income of a taxpayer from Ohio state income tax returns show that while Cuyahoga County incomes grew by 5% since 1986, they soared in already affluent communities while they fell in Cleveland and some of its inner suburbs.

However, since 2000 during the recession in Ohio, the income of an average taxpayer fell in all Cuyahoga County communities with the exception of Shaker Heights and Richmond Heights. Income losses from the recession were not limited only to Cleveland and its inner ring suburbs. Income losses from the recession have been widespread across metropolitan Cleveland, in the suburbs as well as in the city of Cleveland.

Mean real incomes fell on a two year basis between 2000 and 2002 in 508 Ohio school districts, with incomes rising in only 104 districts. On a statewide basis, the onset of the recession during the fourth quarter of 2000 resulted in widespread declines in real mean incomes in Ohio communities. When data from 2003 state income tax returns are available, they will certainly show even more widespread income erosion in Ohio. The 2000-2004 recession in Ohio caused considerable income decline and human suffering on a very widespread basis all across Ohio.

Cuyahoga County
Cleveland-Akron-Lorain-Elyria CSA
Metro Akron-Canton
Toledo MSA
Youngstown MSA
Columbus MSA
Cincinnati MSA
Dayton MSA
Mansfield MSA plus Ashland County
Steubenville MSA
Hamilton-Middletown MSA
All Ohio School Districts

Within Ohio's local communities, incomes have grown very substantially in affluent areas during the last 16 years, at the same time as they have fallen in low income communities. Between 1986 and 2002, mean real incomes increased in 396 of Ohio's school districts, including all relatively affluent districts, while they declined during the last 16 years in 296 predominantly low income districts. Among Ohio taxpayers, during the last 16 years the rich have gotten richer while the poor have gotten poorer.

NEW-  Both Cleveland and its Cuyahoga County Suburbs hit Hard by Recession

On a one-time basis, figures are availble from the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services measuing the location of lost Cuyahoga County jobs during the first quarter of years during the 2000's recession, in 2002, 2003, and 2004. These figures provide a revised and updated measure of job losses in both the city of Cleveland and in the suburbs. Cuyahoga County lost additional jobs both prior to 1Q 2002 and after 1Q 2004, but during the two year period for which data are available, jobs were lost both in the city and in the suburbs. A majority of the large manufacturing job loss during the two year period was in the suburbs, not in the city. Between 1Q 2002 and 1Q 2004, 58% of all manufacturing jobs lost in Cuyahoga County were jobs formerly located in the suburbs, not inside the city of Cleveland. Conversely, 96% of all nonmanufacturing jobs lost during that one year period were jobs formerly located in the city of Cleveland, not in the suburbs.

It is clear that the impact of the 2000's recession has been very broadly based in Cuyahoga County, with the economic damage negatively impacting both the city of Cleveland and its  suburbs..

Cuyahoga County City-Suburb Employment Trends, 1Q 2002 to 1Q 2004

The industrial breakdown of job losses in Cuyahoga County during this period of time shows that the largest paycheck earnings losses in Cleveland were in Manufacturing. But, the second largest loss among industries was in Professional and Technical Serivces, a job category largely constisting of lawyers, scientists and engineers. Thus, the large manufacturing job losses rippled through professional sectors of the Cleveland economy, showing the importance of manufacturing earnings as they support other local economic activity.

City of Cleveland Job and Earnings Trend, 1Q 2002 to 1Q 2004

In the suburbs, a large manufacturing earnings loss severely damaged the local economy. The second largest earnings loss in the suburbs was in Information, a job category including media and technology firms. Local Professional and Technical Services paycheck losses were largely concentrated in the city of Cleveland, not in the suburbs. Conversely, Cuyahoga County's large loss in Utilities earnings was heavily concentrated in the suburbs. Overall, 54% of Cuyahoga County's job losses between 2002 and 2004 were in the suburbs, and 72% of the aggregate paycheck losses in the county came in suburban firms.

Cuyahoga County Suburbs Job and Earnings Trend, 1Q 2002 to 1Q 2004

In Cuyahoga County generally, earnings losses were widespread in the local economy, driven by large earnings losses in blue collar industries. The only large paycheck earnings increase in both Cleveland and the suburbs during these two years of the recession came in Finance and Insurance, as Cleveland continues to be an expanding financial services center. Most of that earnings gain came in the suburbs, as the city of Cleveland actually lost finance and insurance jobs. Many industries suffered job and earnings losses in both Cleveland and in the suburbs. Meanwhile, the average earnings of a surviving job increased above inflation by 3%.

Cuyahoga County Job and Earnings Trend, 1Q 2002 to 1Q 2004

Ohio/Cleveland Job and Losses During 2000-2004 Recession

Greater Cleveland and Ohio have been hit very hard by the current economic recession. Job losses have been much steeper during 2000-2004 than they were during the 1990-1992 recession. Cuyahoga County lost 8.8% of its jobs between 2000 and 2004, a loss of 71,375 jobs.

Ohio was also hit very hard by the recession. Between the first quarter of 2000 and the first quarter of 2004, Ohio lost 5% of its jobs, a loss of 263,507 jobs.

Astonishingly, between the first quarter of 2000 and the first quarter of 2004 the United States lost 710,000 jobs. More than one third of the jobs lost in the USA during the 2000's recession were in Ohio alone.

By the third quarter of 2004, Ohio finally stopped losing jobs as the trough of the Ohio recession in 2000-2004 was finally hit. However, even though new fourth quarter 2004 figures, Cuyahoga County is still losing jobs. Unfortunately Cuyahoga County's labor market has not yet entered the economic recovery phase from the 2000-2004 recession.

First Quarter 2000-2004 Job "growth," 88 Ohio Counties

First Quarter 2000-2004 Job "growth," Cleveland-Akron-Lorain-Elyria CSA

Second Quarter 2000-2004 Job "growth" 88 Ohio Counties

Second Quarter 2000-2004 Job "growth," Cleveland-Akron-Lorain-Elyria CSA

Third Quarter 2000-2004 Job "growth" 88 Ohio Counties

Third Quarter 2000-2004 Job "growth," Cleveland-Akron-Lorain-Elyria CSA

NEW-  Fourth Quarter 2000-2004 Job "growth" 88 Ohio Counties

NEW-  Fourth Quarter 2000-2004 Job "growth," Cleveland-Akron-Lorain-Elyria CSA


Ohio Manufacturing Job Losses During Current Recession 2000-2004

Greater Cleveland and Ohio have been extremely hard hit by very recent manufacturing job losses during the ongoing 2000-2004 recession in Ohio's labor market. Unfortunately, the US Department of Labor decided to count manufacturing jobs using a new NAICS definition after the recession started. NAICS replaced the longstanding SIC system of defining a manufacturing job. There are still no NAICS figures for the year 2000 in Ohio. Thus, there are no local measures of manufacturing jobs that were lost during 2000-2001 within Ohio, given the NAICS implementation blunder by the US Department of Labor.

Nevertheless, it is now known that Cuyahoga County lost 18.2% of its manufacturing jobs between the second quarter of 2001 and the second quarter of 2004. Cuyahoga County's loss of manufacturing jobs during the last three years is now 19,804 jobs. Additional manufacturing jobs were lost prior to 2Q 2001, and after 2Q 2004. But, even given this technical constraint, the current magnitude of local manufacturing job losses is startling and stunning. The loss of nearly one-fifth of all high wage local manufacturing jobs in only three years has been a devastating blow to Cleveland.

On a statewide basis, Ohio lost 17% of its manufacturing jobs between 2001-2004, a loss of 139,705 manufacturing jobs. This has been a catstrophic blow to the economy of the state of Ohio. It caused soaring poverty and plunging incomes during the 2000's in Ohio, and it caused additional job losses in other industries as the gigantic manufacturing job losses rippled through the rest of Ohio's economy. By far the worst losses in Ohio were in Springfield, where Clark County has lost 32% of its manufacturing jobs since 2001. The recent loss of one-third of all manufacturing jobs in Springfield has literally created "depression" conditions in Springfield. Stark County (Canton) and Lorain County (Lorain-Elyria) have also lost more than one-fifth of their manufacturing jobs just since 2001.

Even in new fourth quarter 2004 figures from the complete count of jobs, Ohio is still not gaining manufacturing jobs during the recovery from the 2000-2004 recession yet. That remains a very serious problem, and it explains the reason why Ohio's economic recovery has been so weak.

First Quarter 2001-2004 Manufacturing Job "growth," 88 Ohio Counties

First Quarter 2001-2004 Manufacturing Job "growth," Cleveland-Akron-Lorain-Elyria

Second Quarter 2001-2004 Manufacturing Job "growth," 88 Ohio Counties

Second Quarter 2001-2004 Manufacturing Job "growth," Cleveland-Akron-Lorain-Elyria

Third Quarter 2001-2004 Manufacturing Job "growth," 88 Ohio Counties

Third Quarter 2001-2004 Manufacturing Job "growth," Cleveland-Akron-Lorain-Elyria

NEW-  Fourth Quarter 2001-2004 Manufacturing Job "growth," 88 Ohio Counties

NEW-  Fourth Quarter 2001-2004 Manufacturing Job "growth," Cleveland-Akron-Lorain-Elyria


Ohio Statewide Job Growth 1980-2005

For much of the history of the United States, USA job growth and Ohio job growth followed very similar trends. After March 1996, that pattern changed considerably. Since March 1996, Ohio's job growth rate has been slower than the United States job growth rate during all 112 subsequent months. For the last 112 consecutive months during the last nine years (including March 1996), Ohio's job growth rate has been slower than the job growth rate in the United States as a whole. The 112 months are an all-time record for continuous sub-par job growth in Ohio. The state went into recession in December 2000, and the state continued to lose jobs in every subsequent month until the second quarter of 2004. Now that Ohio is finally generating job growth once again, its job growth still remains below the USA national average, even in the latest figures for June 2005..

1980-2005 Job Growth in Ohio and the United States

Job Growth 2000-2004, Selected Ohio Counties and State of Ohio

1990-2004 Job Growth in Cuyahoga County vs. Rest of Ohio
1990-2004 Job Growth in Lorain County vs. Rest of Ohio
1990-2004 Job Growth in Summit County vs. Rest of Ohio
1990-2004 Job Growth in Cleveland-Akron-Lorain-Elyria vs. Rest of Ohio

Mean Earnings of an Ohio Job

Real mean earnings of a job rose by 7.1% in Ohio between 1990 and 2000. But, since 1979 they fell by -2.8%. In Cuyahoga County the average manufacturing job pays $50,582, but the average of all other nonmanufacturing jobs is $34,735.

Between 2000 and 2001, during the current recession, mean real earings of a job fell by only -0.4% in Ohio. In Cuyahoga County mean earnings were virtually unchanged betweeen 2000 and 2001. Thus, economic losses from the current recession are being felt through job losses, not through a decline in the average real earnings of surviving jobs.

1979-1990-2000-2001 Mean job earnings - Ohio counties
1979-1990-2000-2001 Mean Manufacturing job earnings - Ohio counties
1979-1990-2000-2001 Mean Nonmanufacturing job earnings - Ohio counties

Ohio New Claims for Unemployment Insurance

Ohio's new claims for unemployment insurance increased by 44% in 2001, the fastest rate of increase since 1980. In 2002, new unemployment claims slowly stabilized in comparison to 2001's soaring levels. Job layoffs in 2001 were considerably faster in Ohio during the winter and early spring than they were after September 11. Slower 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 unemployment claim growth figures are being compared with gigantic increases in layoffs suffered by Ohio workers during most of 2001.  Despite some moderation in the rate of increase in layoffs, 37 of Ohio's 88 counties are still suffered increases in their unemployment claims during 2003. During 2004, new unemployment claims were lower than their very high 2003 levels in all but seven Ohio counties.

However, even in the summer of 2005, the four week moving average of Cuyahoga County's new claims for unemployment currently remains at 1,149 every week, a level still 23% higher than the 935 workers per week who filed claims in the first week of August 1999, before the current Ohio recession started. Thus, although the velocity of the recession has noticeably moderated recently, Cuyahoga County remained firmly mired in the current recession throughout all weeks of 2004 and 2005. The level of layoffs in Ohio's labor market also were not consistent with a robust recovery from the recession in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, and August 2005 on a statewide basis with 11,714 new unemployment claims during the first week of August 2005, a level still 22% higher than the pre-recession 1999 figure of 9,642 weekly new claims for unemployment in Ohio. When the recession ends in the Cleveland labor market, the weekly new unemployment claims will fall back to their pre-recession 1999 levels, as job growth returns. That did not happen during any week of 2004, or during any 2005 week yet.

Statewide new claims for unemployment fell by 5% during the first five weeks of the third quarter in 2005 in comparison to the same figures during the first five weeks of the third quarter in 2004. That is an optimistic sign that is consistent with slow renewed job growth in Ohio. But, the actual level of new unemployment claims in Ohio remains well above 1999 pre-recession levels..

New Unemployment Claims - Ohio's 88 Counties - 2005
New Unemployment Claims - Ohio's 88 Counties - 2004
New Unemployment Claims - Ohio's 88 Counties - 2003
New Unemployment Claims - Ohio's 88 Counties - 2002
New Unemployment Claims - Ohio's 88 Counties - 2001

New Unemployment Claims - Cleveland-Akron-Lorain-Elyria Metro Area 1999-2004

Week ending November 1, 2003
Week ending November 1, 2003
Week ending November 8, 2003
Week ending November 15, 2003
Week ending November 22, 2003
Week ending November 29, 2003
Week ending December 6, 2003
Week ending December 13, 2003
Week ending December 20, 2003
Week ending December 27, 2003
Week ending January 3, 2004
Week ending January 10, 2004
Week ending January 17, 2004
Week ending January 24, 2004
Week ending January 31, 2004
Week ending February 7, 2004
Week ending February 14, 2004
Week ending February 21, 2004
Week ending February 28, 2004
Week ending March 6, 2004
Week ending March 13, 2004
Week ending March 20, 2004
Week ending March 27, 2004
Week ending April 3, 2004
Week ending April 10, 2004
Week ending April 17, 2004
Week ending April 24, 2004
Week ending May 1, 2004
Week ending May 8, 2004
Week ending May 15, 2004
Week ending May 22, 2004
Week ending May 29, 2004
Week ending June 5, 2004
Week ending June 12, 2004
Week ending June 19, 2004
Week ending June 26, 2004
Week ending July 3, 2004
Week ending July 10, 2004
Week ending July 17, 2004
Week ending July 24, 2004
Week ending July 31, 2004
Week ending August 7, 2004

Time series disrupted by ODJFS

Week ending October 9, 2004
Week ending October 16, 2004
Week ending October 23, 2004
Week ending October 30, 2004
Week ending November 6, 2004
Week ending November 13, 2004
Week ending November 20, 2004
Week ending November 27, 2004
Week ending December 4, 2004
Week ending December 11, 2004
Week ending December 18, 2004
Week ending December 25, 2004
Week ending January 1, 2005
Week ending January 8, 2005
Week ending January 15, 2005
Week ending January 22, 2005
Week ending January 29, 2005
Week ending February 5, 2005
Week ending February 12, 2005
Week ending February 19, 2005
Week ending February 26, 2005
Week ending March 5, 2005
Week ending March 12, 2005
Week ending March 19, 2005
Week ending March 26, 2005
Week ending April 2, 2005
Week ending April 9, 2005
Week ending April 16, 2005
Week ending April 23, 2005
Week ending April 30, 2005
Week ending May 7, 2005
Week ending May 14, 2005
Week ending May 21, 2005
Week ending May 28, 2005
Week ending June 4, 2005
Week ending June 11, 2005
Week ending June 18, 2005
Week ending June 25, 2005
Week ending July 2, 2005
Week ending July 9, 2005
Week ending July 16, 2005
Week ending July 23, 2005
Week ending July 30, 2005
Week ending August 6, 2005

Technical Note: ODJFS delayed the release of figures on new unemployment claims for over two months, while they converted to a new system for administering unemployment insurance in Ohio. Thus, any measures of whether the Ohio recession was continuing in September and October 2004 were delayed by the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. The new system was not available to the public for part of the week ending August 14, and this administrative action prevented unemployed individuals from signing up for unemployment benefits during that week, according to the new claims figures for the week ending August 14. But, since then, a more normal trend has emerged in the figures.

Ohio New Claims for Unemployment Insurance by Race

New data show that a disproportional number of Ohio's new unemployment claims during the current recession are being filed by nonwhites. During 2002, although 15% of Ohio's population is nonwhite, 19.5% of Ohio's new claims for unemployment insurance were filed by nonwhites. Larger discrepancies are evident in large urban counties with large nonwhite populations such as Cuyahoga (Cleveland) and Hamilton (Cincinnati). In Cuyahoga County, 33% of the population is nonwhite, but 44% of the county's new unemployment claims in 2002 were filed by nonwhites. In Hamilton County, 27% of the population is nonwhite, but 43% of the county's new claims for unemployment in 2002 were filed by nonwhites.

Although over 600,000 new claims for unemployment were filed in Ohio by white workers, nonwhite workers are suffering a disproportional burden of the current recession-caused job layoffs within Ohio.

New Unemployment Claims by Race in Ohio - 2002

Cuyahoga County Sales Tax

The real twelve month moving average of Cuyahoga County sales tax revenues was down for 23 consecutive months in 2001, 2002, and 2003 for the first time in twenty years. But, beginning in April 2003 this trend reversed. Between May and September 2003 the county  experienced six consecutive months with real growth in its sales tax collections, even though all six of those increases were less than 1%. But, during October 2003, the trend reversed again, with sharp declines in local sales tax collections during every subsequent month through June 2004. The lengthy plunge in sales tax collections shows that the 2000-2004 recession in Cuyahoga County was significantly deeper than the 1990-1992 recession was. The most recent July 2005 Cuyahoga County sales tax figure was down by a tiny -0.3%, ending a prior streak of twelve consecutive months of growth.. 1990-2005 Graph

Cuyahoga County Welfare Cuts

Despite large and continuing job losses from the current recession, expiration of Ohio's three year welfare time limit caused cash welfare caseloads in Cuyahoga County to fall at a record-breaking pace for many 2001 months. The -27.8% cut in April 2001 was the fastest welfare cut of any month in the history of Cuyahoga County.  The caseload continued to decline in 2002, 2003, and 2004 despite continuing local job losses during the recession. The latest one year decline in April 2005 was -4.9% from another cut of 676 families from cash welfare in Cuyahoga County, despite tens of thousands of simultaneous local job losses associated with the recession. Local welfare cuts are continuing unabated even as Cuyahoga County lost jobs during all quarters of 2004. Local cash welfare caseloads have been cut in Cuyahoga County during all 54 months of the 2000-2004 recession, while the county lost many tens of thousands of jobs.

Cuyahoga County Families Cut from Welfare 1995-2005

Statewide Ohio Welfare Cuts and Job Growth

Cash welfare cuts exceeded total job growth in 68 of Ohio's 88 counties during the second quarter of 2001. Cuyahoga County's OWF/TANF cash welfare caseload was cut by 5,922 families as the county simultaneously lost 18,708 jobs. 2Q 2001 Job Growth vs. Welfare Cuts

Large OWF cash welfare cuts were common in a majority of Ohio's 88 counties during the third quarter of 2001 despite the deepening recession. In most Ohio counties, cash welfare cuts exceeded job growth. The worst example of this discrepancy was in Cuyahoga County where OWF/TANF cash welfare caseloads were cut by 5,372 families at a time when the county lost 24,385 jobs. 3Q 2001 Job Growth vs. Welfare Cuts

Large OWF/TANF cash welfare cuts were again widespread across Ohio during the fourth quarter of 2001 in Ohio, despite a deepening recession that was made worse by the aftermath of September 11. Welfare cuts continued at a brisk pace during 4Q 2001. In 69 of Ohio's 88 counties the number of families cut from OWF/TANF cash welfare exceeded total job growth in the county. Thirty counties lost over 1,000 jobs, and 14 of those counties continued to cut their welfare caseload. The worst example of a mismatch between labor market trends and welfare caseload trends was once again in Cuyahoga County, where cash welfare caseloads fell by 2,559 families despite the loss of 33,927 jobs in the county.
4Q 2001 Job Growth vs. Welfare Cuts

Large OWF cash welfare cuts continued across Ohio during the first quarter of 2002, despite the fact that the state remained in recession and continued to suffer job losses. In 71 of Ohio's 88 counties the number of families cut from OWF/TANF cash welfare exceeded total job growth in the county. 32 counties lost over 1,000 jobs during 1Q 2002, and 13 of those counties continued to cut their welfare caseload. As during previous quarters, the worst example of a mismatch between labor market trends and welfare caseload trends was in Cuyahoga County, where cash welfare caseloads were cut by 1,615 families despite the simultaneous loss of -33,062 jobs in the county. Hamilton, Montgomery, and Franklin Counties also made large cuts to their cash welfare caseloads despite the fact that those counties were losing jobs from the recession.

1Q 2002 Job Growth vs. Welfare Cuts

Additional OWF cash welfare cuts were made in Ohio during the second quarter of 2002, despite the continuing recession that caused a loss of over 130,000 jobs in the state. In 64 of Ohio's 88 counties the number of families cut from OWF/TANF cash welfare exceeded total job growth in the county. Continuing a pattern from prior quarters, the worst mismatch between ongoing welfare cuts despite large local job losses was once again Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), where cash welfare caseloads were cut by -1,294 families despite the simultaneous -36,424 job loss within the county. Hamilton County (Cincinnati) also continued to cut its OWF/TANF cash welfare caseload despite large local job losses, but the OWF/TANF cash welfare caseload began to increase in Montgomery and Franklin Counties (Dayton and Columbus) as a result of large local job losses during the recession.

2Q 2002 Job Growth vs. Welfare Cuts

Cash welfare cuts exceeded total job growth in 50 of Ohio's 88 counties during the third quarter of 2002. The largest discrepancy between welfare cuts and job growth in Ohio were once again in Cuyahoga County, where 1,050 families were cut from cash welfare assistance despite the simultaneous loss of -18,809 jobs in the county. As a result of the -177,647 Jobs lost in Ohio during the past year, cash welfare caseloads are actually beginning to rise in many counties, but not in Cuyahoga, where enforcement of the three year welfare time limit remains vigorous, despite the recession. Cuyahoga County has lost more jobs during the past year than any other Ohio county. The number of families simultaneously cut from cash welfare in Cuyahoga County is also larger than the same figure in any other Ohio county.  3Q 2002 Job Growth vs. Welfare Cuts

Cash welfare cuts exceeded total job growth in 42 of Ohio's 88 counties during the fourth quarter of 2002. By far the largest discrepancy between welfare cuts and job growth were once again in Cuyahoga County, where 512 families lost their cash welfare assistance at a time when Cuyahoga Cunty lost 15,879 jobs. 4Q 2002 Job Growth vs. Welfare Cuts

Cash welfare cuts exceeded total job growth in 52 of Ohio's 88 counties during the first quarter of 2003, despite a deepening recession in Ohio. Franklin County replaced Cuyahoga County as the largest discrepancy between welfare cuts and job losses in Ohio during 3Q 2003. But, this was only because Franklin County lost more jobs than Cuyahoga County lost during 1Q 2003.Cash welfare caseloads actually increased in 48 of Ohio's 88 counties as a result of the recession, but several large urban counties such as Hamilton and Cuyahoga vigorously enforced Ohio's 3 year time limit on cash welfare benefits, even as many thousands of jobs disappeared in those counties. 1Q 2003 Job Growth vs. Welfare Cuts

Cash welfare cuts exceeded total job growth in 52 of Ohio's 88 counties during the second quarter of 2003, despite a continuing recession in Ohio. Urban counties such as Franklin, Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Stark, Mongtomery, and Lucas continued to suffer the largest welfare cuts during a period when the state lost substantial numbers of jobs. 2Q 2003 Job Growth vs. Welfare Cuts

Cash welfare cuts exceeded total job growth in 58 of Ohio's 88 counties during the third quarter of 2003, despite the continuing recession in Ohio's labor market. As had been the case in prior quarters, by far the worst example of this was in Cuyahoga County, where the county terminated 990 families from cash welfare at the same time as Cuyahoga County lost 11,394 jobs. A karge majority of Ohio's counties saw their cash welfare caseloads rise during the third quarter of 2003, but Cuyahoga and Butler Counties continued to cut their large urban cash welfare caseloads despite simultaneous large local job losses. 3Q 2003 Job Growth vs. Welfare Cuts

During the fourth quarter of 2003, Ohio's cash welfare caseload actually increased by 2%, with most counties showing growth in their number of families receiving cash welfare. But, some counties, notably Cuyahoga County, continued to strictly enforce Ohio's three year cash welfare time limit, despite the fact that those counties were simultaneously losing jobs in large numbers as a result of the serious recession in Ohio. By far the worst example of large welfare cuts despite large simultaneous job losses was in Cuyahoga County, but welfare cuts did exceed job gains in 53 of Ohio's 88 counties. There is no doubt that Ohio has not been moving families from "welfare to work" during the welfare reform process. There is no relationship between labor market trends and welfare caseload trends in Ohio. Instead, families are being moved "from welfare to not welfare" regardless of whether somebody in the household has employment earnings. 4Q 2003 Job Growth vs. Welfare Cuts

During the first quarter of 2004, Ohio's cash welfare caseload again increased by 1.4%, as the state remained in recession and lost 8,193 additional jobs. Most counties experienced an increase in their cash welfare caseload as a result of the continuing Ohio recession. Of Ohio's 88 counties, 53 had an increase in their cash welfare caseload during the first quarter of 2004. But, other counties, most notably Cuyahoga County and Trumbull County, continued to strictly enforce Ohio's three year cash welfare time limit, despite the fact that those counties were simultaneously suffering significant job losses from the recession. By far the worst example of large welfare uts despite large simultaneous job losses was once again Cuyahoga County, but welfare cuts did exceed job gains within 40 of Ohio's 88 counties. These figures show that Ohio continues to move families from "welfare to not welfare," regardless of whether somebody in the household has employment earnings. 1Q 2004 Job Growth vs. Welfare Cuts

During the second quarter of 2004, Ohio finally stopped losing jobs on a statewide basis, although many parts of Ohio still lost jobs duirng that period of time. The statewide cash welfare caseload actually increased by 1,312 households, but in 37 counties cash welfare cuts still exceeded job growth in the state. By far the worst example of that problem was still Cuyahoga County. That county cut its cash welfare caseload by another 856 families, despite the simultaneous loss of an additional 8,972 jobs in the county. 2Q 2004 Job Growth vs. Welfare Cuts

During the third quarter of 2004, Ohio continued to see weak job growth in the statewide economy. But, 33 counties contined to lose jobs during the third quarter despite the end of the statewide Ohio recession. The statewide cash welfare caseload actually increased by 171 households, despite the period of job growth that finally emerged in Ohio. Fourteen counties continued to cut their cash welfare caseloads, despite job losses that continued in those counties. By far the worst example of that was once again Cuyahoga County. In 28 counties with job growth, the cash welfare caseload rose despite the fact that those those counties experienced simultaneous job growth. There continued to be no relationship at all in Ohio counties between trends in cash welfare and trends in the local labor market. Families continue to be terminated from Ohio's cash welfare caseload, whether or not somebody in the family has found a job. 3Q 2004 Job Growth vs. Welfare Cuts

NEW- During the fourth quarter of 2004, Ohio continued to see weak job growth in the statewide economy. But, 30 Ohio counties still lost jobs at the end of 2004. The statewide Ohio cash welfare caseload fell by 223 households, but all of that was accounted for by Cuyahoga County alone, where 1,036 households lost their cash welfare benefits. The caseload actually rose in the rest of Ohio outside Cuyahoga County. 4Q 2004 was another quarter in a long series of quarters where there was no relationship at all between local labor market conditions and trends in the Ohio cash welfare caseload. Cuyahoga, Montgomery, and Trumbull counties all cut their cash welfare caseload substantiallly despite the fact that they simultaneously lost more than 1,000 jobs in the local economy. 4Q 2004 Job Growth vs. Welfare Cuts

Since 1994 Cuyahoga County's welfare benefits have been cut by $329 million annually. DATA

CEOGC Summary of Current Economic Trends

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