Ohio ranks 35th in economic freedom report, as the state loses 2,000 jobs
The Buckeye Institute recently ranked Ohio 35th in its economic freedom report, while the state loses thousands of jobs.
The Institute ranked the state 35th in the Economic Freedom of North America 2025 report for the second consecutive year, as it did in 2024, according to the Columbus-based think tank.
The report, released in partnership with Canada’s Fraser Institute, ranked all states and provinces in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as Puerto Rico, based on economic freedom.
Although Ohio ranked low in government spending, placing 39th, the state improved in 2022 in the taxation category, ranking 18th. However, Ohio dropped one spot from 30 to 31 in labor-market freedom.
“Ohio continues to rank in the bottom half of this year’s economic freedom rankings. While recent tax reforms have boosted Ohio’s score, government spending remains a drag on the state’s overall ranking,” Aswin Prabhakar, an economic research analyst at The Buckeye Institute, said in a release. “To continue climbing the EFNA rankings, lawmakers must address government spending while building on recent progress in tax policy and labor market reforms.”
In addition to the recent news, the Institute also commented on the September jobs report from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
“While Ohio’s unemployment rate fell from five to 4.8%, the September jobs report showed that Ohio’s job market took a step backward, as the private sector lost 2,000 jobs and more workers left the job market, leading to a decline in the labor force participation rate to 62.4%, which tied the national average,” Rea S. Hederman Jr., executive director of the Economic Research Center and vice president of policy at the Institute, said in a release.
However, Hederman Jr. noted that the problem was not limited to Ohio, saying the entire country is facing unemployment.
“With September’s jobs report coming out three months late, October’s report canceled due to the federal government shutdown, and November’s report delayed into the new year, it is difficult to know the state of Ohio’s current job market,” Hederman Jr. said, adding that, despite all of these circumstances, it is still very clear that Ohio’s job market is not doing well.
Hederman Jr. also highlighted Ohio lawmakers who previously passed property tax-related bills in the state’s House and Senate.
Ohio.News previously reported on the state’s unemployment rates, which either remain steady or rise, with no sign of a decrease.
