Fewer Ohioans going into business for themselves, lowest level of self-employment since 2001

DAYTON, Ohio - Fewer Ohioans are going into business for themselves these days, with the number of self-employed in the state at its lowest level since 2001.

The Dayton Daily News reports that Ohio's level of self-employment is one of the lowest in the nation.

The newspaper says it's declined partly because traditional self-employment industries such as construction and real estate were devastated by the recession and have been slow to come back.

Also, some economists say the state's economy and job growth is concentrated in fields that are not ideal for self-employment.

Of the more than 5.5 million people employed in Ohio, only about 5.6 percent of the workers are self-employed. That's a lower rate than all but eight other states.