Metro Job Market Pulse · General Market Conditions · October 2026
General Market Conditions Labor Market Report: Mansfield, OH MSA — October 2026
Mansfield jobless rate climbs past state average as pay signals diverge
Richland County unemployment rose to 4.0% in September against Ohio's 3.4%, even as metro HVAC and construction pay climbed while accountant pay fell to $57,137.
Free archive edition. Published by WageScape as sent to subscribers; data as of October 2026.
Key indicators
- Richland County unemployment: 4.0% — Sept. 2026, vs. 3.4% Ohio, up from 3.2% in May
- Ohio labor force participation: 61.2% — vs. 61.8% national rate
- Metro accountant advertised pay: $57,137 — Down significantly vs. $72,000 national median
- Metro HVAC technician advertised pay: $73,667 — Up moderately vs. $71,406 national median
Key takeaways
Richland County's jobless rate rise outpaces the state trend.
September's 4.0% unemployment rate sits well above Ohio's 3.4% and marks a reversal from the metro's spring lows near 3.2%, even as statewide labor force participation (61.2%, below the 61.8% national rate) continues to shrink. A local uptick against a more stable state backdrop may signal metro-specific softening.
Software engineering pay strength looks like an outlier.
Metro software engineer advertised pay rose significantly to $171,000, outpacing the $154,403 national median, while data engineer pay held flat at $130,000. This appears to reflect a narrow, high-skill pocket of demand in a metro still defined by manufacturing and healthcare.
Professional-role pay erosion deserves more attention than headline unemployment.
Accountant pay fell significantly to $57,137 against a stable $72,000 national figure, and HR generalist pay dropped moderately to $51,783 versus a rising $74,477 nationally. Falling advertised pay in office and professional functions, even amid low statewide unemployment, is consistent with softer demand for administrative and finance talent locally.
Skilled trades remain the metro's steadiest demand signal.
HVAC technician pay rose moderately to $73,667 and construction laborer pay rose significantly to $42,167, both outperforming their national medians. Sustained trade-sector wage momentum amid broader softness suggests construction and infrastructure-adjacent work remains a relative bright spot for local economic activity.
Median advertised pay by role — Mansfield, OH MSA
| Role | 25th percentile | Median advertised pay | 75th percentile | Metro trend | National median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Sales Associate | $23,429 | $27,664 | $32,076 | Stable | $33,340 |
| Retail Cashier | $23,675 | $25,911 | $29,120 | Stable | $31,268 |
| Warehouse/Fulfillment Associate | $30,244 | $34,320 | $41,600 | Moderate decline | $38,480 |
| CDL Truck Driver | $62,400 | $82,738 | $93,600 | Stable | $78,872 |
| Delivery Driver | $29,614 | $35,245 | $37,830 | Stable | $34,826 |
| Construction Laborer | $34,099 | $42,167 | $47,840 | Significant increase | $40,727 |
| Electrician | $60,356 | $69,952 | $70,845 | Stable | $71,835 |
| Manufacturing Production Worker/Assembler | $28,798 | $34,587 | $40,560 | Stable | $39,520 |
| Customer Service Representative | $28,859 | $35,754 | $37,423 | Stable | $39,520 |
| Food Service Worker | $29,000 | $34,704 | $39,520 | Significant decline | $33,764 |
| Certified Nursing Assistant / Home Health Aide | $31,762 | $35,360 | $37,440 | Stable | $41,600 |
| Administrative Assistant/Office Clerk | $34,951 | $37,440 | $39,054 | Stable | $44,552 |
| HVAC Technician | $57,732 | $73,667 | $81,120 | Moderate increase | $71,406 |
| Registered Nurse | $82,031 | $94,427 | $106,574 | Stable | $102,252 |
| Software Engineer | $150,756 | $171,000 | $176,516 | Significant increase | $154,403 |
| Data Engineer * | $97,990 | $130,000 | $147,773 | Stable | $138,000 |
| Accountant | $51,556 | $57,137 | $65,562 | Significant decline | $72,000 |
| Financial Analyst | $67,441 | $72,450 | $72,641 | Stable | $94,646 |
| HR Generalist/Manager | $51,352 | $51,783 | $60,313 | Moderate decline | $74,477 |
| Marketing Specialist * | $47,328 | $59,245 | $68,739 | Moderate increase | $62,916 |
| Operations Manager * | $71,747 | $82,821 | $93,502 | Moderate increase | $86,294 |
| Elementary/Secondary School Teacher | $33,005 | $45,881 | $51,345 | Moderate decline | $55,908 |
| Account Manager | $52,000 | $73,315 | $87,500 | Moderate increase | $94,009 |
| Warehouse Manager * | $51,862 | $65,000 | $67,500 | Moderate decline | $75,000 |
| Business Analyst * | $79,080 | $96,332 | $107,941 | Stable | $98,302 |
* State-level figure shown where metro postings were too few.
WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings (reported as the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay). Download: CSV · JSON
Industry snapshot
| Sector | Median advertised pay | Pay trend | Postings trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | $46,492 | Moderate decline | Significant increase |
| Manufacturing | $49,181 | Moderate increase | Significant increase |
| Retail Trade | $33,127 | Moderate increase | Significant increase |
| Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities | $61,456 | Stable | Significant increase |
| Information | $77,895 | Significant increase | Significant increase |
| Financial Activities | $51,817 | Moderate increase | Significant increase |
| Professional & Business Services | $45,968 | Significant increase | Significant increase |
| Education & Health Services | $55,120 | Stable | Significant increase |
| Leisure & Hospitality | $28,701 | Moderate decline | Significant increase |
| Government | $64,992 | Stable | Significant increase |
Local market conditions
Richland County unemployment climbed to 4.0% in September, the metro's highest reading since early 2026 and above both the Ohio rate of 3.4% and the slow downward drift seen earlier this year, as statewide labor force participation continues contracting from an aging workforce and softening service-sector momentum. Local wage data shows a divided picture: software engineering pay rose sharply to $171,000 against a stable national figure, while accountant pay fell significantly to $57,137 and teacher pay declined, pointing to uneven demand across the metro's basket of occupations.
What it means
Divergence between a 4.0% county unemployment rate and continued strength in healthcare and skilled trades advertised pay (HVAC technician up moderately to $73,667, construction laborer up significantly to $42,167) suggests the metro's labor market is cooling unevenly, a distinction that matters for anyone reading the headline rate as a single signal of local economic health. Commerce leaders weighing expansion or investment timing should treat sector-level advertised pay trends as the more reliable gauge of where local demand is concentrated; current conditions suggest reviewing which sectors are absorbing labor-force exits and which are still competing for talent before drawing conclusions about overall business climate.
Looking ahead
Expected data release: ODJFS publishes October metro-level unemployment data on November 24; watch whether Richland County's 4.0% September reading holds, reverses, or extends its climb, which will clarify whether this is a one-month blip or a trend.
Emerging pressure point: Ohio's statewide labor force participation has fallen since June 2025 alongside real wage erosion; if Richland County mirrors this pattern, commerce leaders should expect tighter effective labor availability even as headline unemployment rises.
Worth watching: No Mansfield-specific WARN notices have surfaced this year, while manufacturing-heavy layoff activity continues elsewhere in Ohio (23 notices, 3,159 workers statewide); continued absence of local filings would support a stable-manufacturing read for the metro.
Potential inflection point: Divergence between falling accountant and HR-function pay and rising trades pay may foreshadow a broader reallocation of local economic activity toward construction and skilled-trades work; a second month of this pattern would strengthen the case.
Sources
- Ohio Department of Job & Family Services — Richland County unemployment rate reached 4.0% in September 2026
- Ohio Department of Job and Family Services — Ohio statewide unemployment rate was 3.4% in September 2026
- Ohio Department of Job and Family Services / BLS — Ohio labor force participation rate at 61.2% vs. 61.8% national
- Ohio Department of Job & Family Services — Richland County unemployment ranged from 3.2% to 3.9% earlier in 2026
- Ohio Department of Job and Family Services — October 2026 metro-level BLS data releases November 24, 2026
- layoffdata.com WARN tracker — Ohio manufacturing WARN notices totaled 23 filings, 3,159 workers in 2026
Methodology
Advertised pay from active employer job postings, not survey data. WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings: distribution analysis shows roughly the lowest 10% of raw values are erroneous entries, so the reported median is the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay. WageScape observes 98% of U.S. job openings daily.
Free to read and cite with attribution to WageScape. Terms of use.