Jobless rates in most Dayton-area counties and major cities edged down again last month as the outlook for hiring improves, one local employment firm manager said.

Rates dropped in 65 of 88 Ohio counties last month and ranged from a low of 5.5 percent in Mercer County to a high of 15.7 percent in Pike County, according to figures released Tuesday by the state jobs department.

In the Dayton area, Preble County had the highest unemployment rate last month at 9.3 percent, down from 9.7 percent in January and 11.6 percent a year earlier.

Warren County had the lowest rate at 7.3 percent, down from 7.5 percent in the previous month and 8.6 percent in February last year.

Montgomery County – the area’s most populous – had an unemployment rate last month of 8.9 percent, down from 9.1 percent in January and 10.2 percent a year ago.

Kathy Trautman, area manager for placement firm Manpower Inc. in Dayton, said hiring has begun to pick up in the local market for qualified job candidates.

“If you’re unemployed, but have experience and a solid resume, your prospects are better now than they have been,” she said.

For the city of Dayton, February unemployment fell to 10.3 percent from 10.5 percent in January. Other big cities in the area that saw declines in their jobless rates during the same period included Trotwood, which fell from 10.7 percent to 9.9 percent; Springfield, which dropped from 8.9 percent to 8.6 percent; and Kettering, down from 8.2 percent to 8 percent.

Unemployment rates for cities and counties are not seasonally adjusted.

The unadjusted unemployment rate for Ohio is 8.5 percent and the national rate is 8.7 percent.

On an adjusted basis, Ohio’s unemployment rate fell for the seventh month in a row in February to 7.6 percent from 7.7 percent in January.

The U.S. unemployment rate for February was 8.3 percent, unchanged from January, but the lowest rate since December 2008.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2437 or rtucker@DaytonDailyNews.com.