Erie and Ottawa counties rank third in the nation for job growth, Greater Sandusky Partnership says

The Sandusky metropolitan area, made up of Erie and Ottawa counties, ranked third among 393 U.S. metro areas for job growth in the first half of 2026, the Greater Sandusky Partnership announced Aug. 12.

The partnership's policy center analyzed U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. It found average monthly employment rose from 51,067 in the first half of 2025 to 52,550 in the first half of 2026, an increase of 1,483 jobs, or 2.9%. The partnership says that leads Ohio and the Midwest.

How it was measured

The analysis compares average monthly employment from January through June of each year, which the partnership says evens out the area's seasonal swings. Among the 181 metro areas with fewer than 100,000 jobs, Sandusky also ranked third.

The partnership notes that percentage changes can look larger in small metro areas than in big ones. The ranking is the partnership's own analysis, not a BLS publication.

Who made the claim

The Greater Sandusky Partnership is the combined chamber of commerce and economic development group for the region. It brings together the Erie County Chamber of Commerce, the Huron Chamber of Commerce and the Erie County Economic Development Corporation.

Employers the partnership has pointed to in its regional work include Aligned Data, which is building on the former New Departure site in Sandusky; American Colors, which has expanded its Sandusky headquarters; and LogistiQ/LEWCO at the Lake Erie Business Park in Ottawa County.

What the wage data shows

The ranking says nothing about pay. Federal wage data released in July shows Sandusky-area wages still trail the national average.

Source: Greater Sandusky Partnership announcement, Aug. 12