Ohio trails behind nation in job growth.

• Position: Ohio

Although the nation's economy has been improving, job growth in Ohio continues to struggle.

The number of Ohioans working rose by just one-half of a percentage point in 2004, according to a report released by the FDIC.

Much of the state's weakness is due to manufacturing sectors that have been hit hard by foreign competition, said David Van Vickle, manager of the FDIC's Chicago region. The only Midwestern state with a worse economic climate is Michigan.

According to the U.S. Bureau of...