More Ohio teens are working

More Ohio teens are working

Data: Ohio's Employment Status Dashboard; Chart: Alissa Widman Neese/Axios

The number of Ohio teenagers with jobs has been trending upward in recent years and is higher than the national rate, census data shows.

Why it matters: While teens aren't working at the same rate as their parents or grandparents once did, the trend bucks a common perception that few work at all.

By the numbers: Over 243,000 Ohioans ages 16-19 had a job in 2024, or 39.8%, per the latest data on Ohio's Employment Status Dashboard.

  • That's up almost 6 percentage points from 2015.

    • Caveat: The data doesn't reflect workers ages 14-15, who have more employment restrictions.

    The big picture: Teen priorities have shifted away from work for a variety of reasons, including more intense schooling, less demand for low-wage work and increasing competition from older workers, per a 2019 Brookings Institution study.

    The other side: Besides earning money, teens with summer jobs can benefit from improved people skills, work habits and school attendance.

    Where our readers worked

    Last week, we asked our readers about their most memorable summer jobs and compiled some of our favorite responses.

    Take notes, job-hunting teens:

    🍨 Michelle B. worked at Velvet Ice Cream's Ye Olde Mill in Utica.

  • "I absolutely loved it. It was fun to work with my friends and see so many people enjoying their summer treat away from the heat."

    • 🌱 Van Y. mowed grass along roadsides for the county road department.

    🥪 Brian H. made sandwiches at W.G. Grinders.

  • "I learned so much there — my love of cooking, how to really clean, and possibly most importantly, the dangers of access to unlimited soda."

    • 🎡 Janet C. traveled the state working concessions for fairs and festivals.

    🥞 Erin K. bussed and waited tables at Perkins Pancake House in Sandusky and also served ice cream at Golly Gee.

  • "My favorite was when a herd of baseball or softball teams would come after a game!"

    • 💍 Sara O. made personalized name rings at Kings Island.

    👶🏻 Ashley S. was a babysitter and worked in a Little League concession stand.

    👨‍🎨 Greg N. recalls two polar-opposite painting jobs — one inside a frigid Friendly's warehouse freezer, and one atop Aerovent's scorching roof.

    👩‍💻 Amanda S. helped build computers and wire ethernet for New Albany High School in 1998, when it was cheaper to build than buy.

  • "It was an incredible experience for us to learn the skills at such a young age, plus it was good money and I learned a lot of leadership skills."