EXHIBIT 99

275 West Federal Street
Youngstown, Ohio 44503-1203

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:		Investor Contact:
Colleen Scott		James R. Reske
Vice President of Marketing		Chief Financial Officer
Home Savings		United Community Financial Corp.
(330) 742-0638		(330) 742-0592
cscott@homesavings.com		jreske@ucfconline.com

United Community Financial Corp. Announces Fourth Quarter Results

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (March 25, 2011) — United Community Financial Corp. (Company) (Nasdaq: UCFC), holding company of The Home Savings and Loan Company of Youngstown, Ohio (Home Savings), today reported a consolidated net loss of $17.3 million, or $(0.56) per diluted share, for the three months ended December 31, 2010. This compares to a net loss of $16.3 million, or $(0.54) per diluted share, for the three months ended December 31, 2009. The Company also reported a cumulative net loss of $37.3 million, or $(1.22) per diluted share, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2010 as compared to a cumulative net loss of $16.8 million, or $(0.56) per diluted share, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2009.

The increased losses in both the fourth quarter and the twelve months ended December 31, 2010 are primarily a result of increases in the provision for loan losses. The increased provision in both time periods is a result of a higher level of chargeoff activity, additional loan downgrades within the commercial real estate portfolio and increased specific reserves assigned to a number of commercial real estate loans.

Selected fourth quarter results:

	•		Nonperforming loans reduced $3.2 million to $139.5 million from the prior quarter
	•		Nonperforming assets reduced $3.1 million to $179.9 million from the prior last quarter
	•		Net interest margin reduced 25 basis points to 3.17% from the prior quarter

	•		Increased the allowance for loan losses by $10.0 million from the prior quarter
	•		Home Savings’ Tier 1 leverage ratio reduced 39 basis points from the prior quarter to 7.84%
	•		Home Savings’ Total Risk Based Capital reduced 58 basis points from the prior quarter to 12.54%
	•		Book value per share and tangible book value per share each declined $0.82 from the prior quarter to $5.69 and $5.67, respectively

Asset Quality

Nonperforming loans at December 31, 2010 decreased to $139.5 million, compared to $142.7 million at September 30, 2010, a decrease of $3.2 million during the period. Real estate owned and other repossessed assets were $40.3 million at December 31, 2010 and September 30, 2010. Nonperforming assets decreased $3.1 million, from $183.0 million at September 30, 2010, to $179.9 million at September 30, 2010.

Mr. Bevack commented that Home Savings will continue to take measures to accomplish the goal of restoring financial strength and profitability to the Company. “Our key initiative is improving asset quality.” He added, “It is very important that we find resolution to problem assets as quickly and economically as possible. While we have seen improvement in the last half of the year with a decrease in nonperforming assets, it is our desire to accelerate this trend.”

Capital and Book Value

Home Savings’ Tier 1 leverage ratio was 7.84% as of December 31, 2010, compared to 8.22% at December 31, 2009. The Company’s total risk-based capital ratio was 12.54% at December 31, 2010, as compared to 12.80% at December 31, 2009. Book value per share and tangible book value per share at December 31, 2010 were $5.69 and $5.67, respectively.

Home Savings is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company and operates 38 full-service banking offices and six loan production offices located throughout Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Additional information on the Company and Home Savings may be found on the Company’s web site: www.ucfconline.com.

###

When used in this press release, the words or phrases “believes,” “will likely result,” “are expected to,” “will continue,” “is anticipated,” “estimate,” “project” or similar expressions are intended to identify “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including changes in economic conditions in the Company’s market area, changes in policies by regulatory agencies, fluctuations in interest rates, demand for loans in the Company’s market area, and competition that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical earnings and those presently anticipated or projected. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company advises readers that the factors listed above could affect the Company’s financial performance and could cause the Company’s actual results for future periods to differ materially from any opinions or statements expressed with respect to future periods in any current statements.

The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to release publicly the result of any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

UNITED COMMUNITY FINANCIAL CORP.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
(Unaudited)

		December 31,				December 31,
		2010				2009
		(Dollars in thousands)
Assets:
Cash and deposits with banks		$	18,627			$	22,330
Federal funds sold and other			18,480				22,744
Total cash and cash equivalents			37,107				45,074
Securities:
Available for sale, at fair value			362,042				281,348
Loans held for sale			10,870				10,497
Loans, net of allowance for loan losses of $50,883 and $42,287, respectively			1,649,486				1,866,018
Federal Home Loan Bank stock, at cost			26,464				26,464
Premises and equipment, net			22,076				23,139
Accrued interest receivable			7,720				9,090
Real estate owned and other repossessed assets			40,336				30,962
Core deposit intangible			485				661
Cash surrender value of life insurance			27,303				26,198
Other assets			13,409				18,976
Total assets		$	2,197,298			$	2,338,427
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
Liabilities:
Deposits:
Interest bearing		$	1,551,210			$	1,642,722
Non-interest bearing			138,571				126,779
Total deposits			1,689,781				1,769,501
Borrowed funds:
Federal Home Loan Bank advances			202,818				221,323
Repurchase agreements and other			97,797				96,833
Total borrowed funds			300,615				318,156
Advance payments by borrowers for taxes and insurance			20,668				19,791
Accrued interest payable			809				1,421
Accrued expenses and other liabilities			9,370				9,775
Total liabilities			2,021,243				2,118,644
Shareholders’ Equity:
Preferred stock-no par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized and unissued			—				—
Common stock-no par value; 499,000,000 shares authorized; 37,804,457 shares issued and 30,937,704 and 30,897,825 shares, respectively, outstanding			142,318				145,775
Retained earnings			111,049				148,674
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)			(4,778	)			4,110
Unearned employee stock ownership plan shares			—				(5,821	)
Treasury stock, at cost, 6,866,753 and 6,906,632 shares, respectively			(72,534	)			(72,955	)
Total shareholders’ equity			176,055				219,783
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity		$	2,197,298			$	2,338,427

UNITED COMMUNITY FINANCIAL CORP.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(Unaudited)

		For the Three Months Ended								For the Twelve Months Ended
		December 31,								December 31,
		2010				2009				2010				2009
		(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Interest income
Loans		$	22,063			$	27,590			$	97,413			$	118,122
Loans held for sale			167				428				415				1,006
Securities:
Available for sale			3,011				2,964				11,727				11,455
Federal Home Loan Bank stock dividends			267				300				1,158				1,223
Other interest earning assets			10				7				35				57
Total interest income			25,518				31,289				110,748				131,863
Interest expense
Deposits			6,808				10,223				32,062				45,985
Federal Home Loan Bank advances			881				1,022				3,588				5,797
Repurchase agreements and other			941				951				3,737				4,167
Total interest expense			8,630				12,196				39,387				55,949
Net interest income			16,888				19,093				71,361				75,914
Provision for loan losses			22,551				22,740				62,427				49,074
Net interest income after provision for loan losses			(5,663	)			(3,647	)			8,934				26,840
Non-interest income
Non-deposit investment income			319				350				1,619				1,424
Service fees and other charges			2,631				2,286				6,369				8,531
Net gains (losses):
Securities available for sale			1,508				—				8,803				1,863
Other -than-temporary loss on equity securities
Total impairment loss			(14	)			(56	)			(58	)			(778	)
Loss recognized in other comprehensive income			—				—				—				—
Net impairment loss recognized in earnings			(14	)			(56	)			(58	)			(778	)
Mortgage banking income			1,909				2,677				4,365				6,164
Real estate owned and other repossessed assets			(1,611	)			(1,617	)			(6,123	)			(7,918	)
Gain on retail branch sale			—				—				1,387				—
Other income			1,731				1,211				5,531				4,632
Total non-interest income			6,473				4,851				21,893				13,918
Non-interest expense
Salaries and employee benefits			7,852				7,148				32,699				30,493
Occupancy			890				871				3,583				3,669
Equipment and data processing			1,678				1,557				6,627				6,525
Franchise tax			499				399				2,011				2,083
Advertising			286				459				860				1,136
Amortization of core deposit intangible			40				51				176				223
Deposit insurance premiums			1,375				1,050				5,686				7,304
Professional fees			1,185				946				4,106				3,520
Real estate owned and other repossessed asset expenses			2,313				431				4,971				2,713
Other expenses			2,254				1,742				7,612				5,974
Total non-interest expenses			18,372				14,654				68,331				63,640
Income (loss) before income taxes and discontinued operations			(17,562	)			(13,450	)			(37,504	)			(22,882	)
Income taxes expense (benefit)			(231	)			2,812				(231	)			(1,160	)
Net income (loss) before discontinued operations			(17,331	)			(16,262	)			(37,273	)			(21,722	)
Discontinued operations
Net income of Butler Wick Corp.			—				—				—				4,949
Net income (loss)		$	(17,331	)		$	(16,262	)		$	(37,273	)		$	(16,773	)
Earnings (loss) per share
Basic—continuing operations		$	(0.56	)		$	(0.54	)		$	(1.22	)		$	(0.73	)
Basic—discontinued operations			—				—				—				0.17
Basic			(0.56	)			(0.54	)			(1.22	)			(0.56	)
Diluted—continuing operations			(0.56	)			(0.54	)			(1.22	)			(0.73	)
Diluted—discontinued operations			—				—				—				0.17
Diluted			(0.56	)			(0.54	)			(1.22	)			(0.56	)

UNITED COMMUNITY FINANCIAL CORP.
SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
(Unaudited)

		At or for the quarters ended
		December 31, 2010				September 30, 2010				June 30, 2010				March 31, 2010				December 31, 2009
		(In thousands, except per share data)
Financial Data
Total assets		$	2,197,298			$	2,317,948			$	2,314,109			$	2,279,719			$	2,338,427
Total loans, net			1,649,486				1,726,381				1,786,038				1,823,899				1,866,018
Total securities			362,042				390,636				307,154				272,239				281,348
Total deposits			1,689,781				1,685,033				1,696,531				1,728,592				1,769,501
Total shareholders’ equity			176,055				201,333				212,691				214,482				219,783
Net interest income			16,888				18,786				17,971				17,716				19,093
Provision for loan losses			22,551				17,116				10,310				12,450				22,740
Noninterest income, excluding other-than-temporary impairment losses			6,487				4,159				4,745				6,560				4,907
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings			14				44				—				—				56
Noninterest expense			18,372				15,700				17,291				16,968				14,654
Income tax expense (benefit)			(231	)			—				—				—				2,812
Net loss			(17,331	)			(9,915	)			(4,885	)			(5,142	)			(16,262	)
Share Data
Basic loss per share		$	(0.56	)		$	(0.32	)		$	(0.16	)		$	(0.17	)		$	(0.54	)
Diluted loss per share			(0.56	)			(0.32	)			(0.16	)			(0.17	)			(0.54	)
Book value per share			5.69				6.51				6.88				6.94				7.11
Tangible book value per share			5.67				6.49				6.87				6.92				7.09
Market value per share			1.34				1.33				1.68				1.50				1.45
Shares outstanding at end of period			30,938				30,925				30,898				30,898				30,898
Weighted average shares outstanding—basic			30,906				30,899				30,039				29,955				29,879
Weighted average shares outstanding—diluted			30,906				30,899				30,039				29,955				29,879
Key Ratios
Return on average assets			-3.06	%			-1.70	%			-0.85	%			-0.90	%			-2.69	%
Return on average equity			-33.91	%			-18.41	%			-8.91	%			-9.18	%			-27.18	%
Net interest margin			3.17	%			3.42	%			3.30	%			3.28	%			3.33	%
Efficiency ratio			78.08	%			66.80	%			82.92	%			78.59	%			56.97	%
Capital Ratios
Tier 1 leverage ratio			7.84	%			8.23	%			8.71	%			8.47	%			8.22	%
Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio			11.26	%			11.85	%			11.90	%			11.47	%			11.53	%
Total risk-based capital ratio			12.54	%			13.12	%			13.16	%			12.73	%			12.80	%
Equity to assets			8.01	%			8.69	%			9.19	%			9.41	%			9.40	%
Tangible common equity to tangible assets			7.99	%			8.67	%			9.17	%			9.38	%			9.37	%

UNITED COMMUNITY FINANCIAL CORP.
SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
(Unaudited)

		At or for the quarters ended
		December 31, 2010				September 30, 2010				June 30, 2010				March 31, 2010				December 31, 2009
		(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Loan Portfolio Composition
Real Estate Loans
One-to four-family residential		$	757,426			$	778,005			$	779,565			$	777,380			$	773,831
Multi-family residential*			135,771				136,681				138,875				143,992				150,480
Nonresidential*			331,390				355,914				383,882				389,407				397,895
Land*			25,138				25,413				26,217				25,122				23,502
Construction Loans
One-to four-family residential and land development			108,583				117,297				133,534				161,625				178,095
Multi-family and nonresidential*			15,077				14,537				14,870				14,682				13,741
Total real estate loans			1,373,385				1,427,847				1,476,943				1,512,208				1,537,544
Consumer Loans			279,453				289,296				295,007				301,457				309,202
Commercial Loans			46,304				48,902				53,566				56,726				60,217
Total Loans			1,699,142				1,766,045				1,825,516				1,870,391				1,906,963
Less:
Allowance for loan losses			50,883				40,884				40,728				47,768				42,287
Deferred loan costs, net			(1,227	)			(1,220	)			(1,250	)			(1,276	)			(1,342	)
Total			49,656				39,664				39,478				46,492				40,945
Loans, net		$	1,649,486			$	1,726,381			$	1,786,038			$	1,823,899			$	1,866,018

		At or for the quarters ended
		December 31, 2010				September 30, 2010				June 30, 2010				March 31, 2010				December 31, 2009
		(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Deposit Portfolio Composition
Checking accounts
Interest bearing checking accounts		$	110,092			$	103,204			$	104,905			$	101,068			$	108,513
Non-interest bearing checking accounts			138,571				128,702				126,437				125,741				126,779
Total checking accounts			248,663				231,906				231,342				226,809				235,292
Savings accounts			218,946				214,197				212,778				210,091				202,900
Money market accounts			311,692				310,884				310,506				300,610				291,320
Total non-time deposits			779,301				756,987				754,626				737,510				729,512
Retail certificates of deposit			910,480				928,046				939,568				988,747				1,024,961
Brokered certificates of deposit			—				—				2,337				2,335				15,028
Total certificates of deposit			910,480				928,046				941,905				991,082				1,039,989
Total deposits		$	1,689,781			$	1,685,033			$	1,696,531			$	1,728,592			$	1,769,501
Certificates of deposit as a percent of total deposits			53.88	%			55.08	%			55.52	%			57.33	%			58.77	%

UNITED COMMUNITY FINANCIAL CORP.
SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
(Unaudited)

		At or for the quarters ended
		December 31, 2010				September 30, 2010				June 30, 2010				March 31, 2010				December 31, 2009
		(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Allowance For Loan Losses
Beginning balance		$	40,884			$	40,728			$	47,768			$	42,287			$	38,845
Provision			22,551				17,116				10,310				12,450				22,740
Net chargeoffs			(12,552	)			(16,960	)			(17,350	)			(6,969	)			(19,298	)
Ending balance		$	50,883			$	40,884			$	40,728			$	47,768			$	42,287
Net Charge-offs
Real Estate Loans
One-to four-family		$	1,483			$	1,834			$	2,318			$	998			$	762
Multi-family			1,819				160				1,067				1,585				208
Nonresidential			6,923				7,041				25				1,951				1,410
Land			284				11				—				318				—
Construction Loans
One-to four-family residential and land development			669				6,595				11,924				1,018				3,860
Multi-family and nonresidential			(1	)			—				310				—				118
Total real estate loans			11,177				15,641				15,644				5,870				6,358
Consumer Loans			639				905				1,330				904				1,312
Commercial Loans			736				414				376				195				11,628
Total		$	12,552			$	16,960			$	17,350			$	6,969			$	19,298

		At or for the quarters ended
		December 31, 2010				September 30, 2010				June 30, 2010				March 31, 2010				December 31, 2009
		(Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
Nonperforming Loans
Real Estate Loans
One-to four family residential		$	27,417			$	27,505			$	30,279			$	30,054			$	26,766
Multi-family residential			10,983				12,443				8,816				7,885				7,863
Nonresidential			39,838				44,561				48,653				36,083				24,091
Land			5,188				5,943				5,943				11,627				5,160
Construction Loans
One-to four-family residential and land development			44,021				40,000				49,146				42,963				42,819
Multi-family and nonresidential			2,414				2,414				2,414				382				392
Total real estate loans			129,861				132,866				145,251				128,994				107,091
Consumer Loans			3,725				3,543				3,482				3,898				5,383
Commercial Loans			5,945				6,304				6,407				5,672				3,413
Total Loans		$	139,531			$	142,713			$	155,140			$	138,564			$	115,887
Total Nonperforming Loans and Nonperforming Assets
Past due 90 days and on nonaccrual status		$	117,499			$	126,062			$	129,534			$	131,951			$	103,864
Past due 90 days and still accruing			6,330				4,253				2,628				536				3,669
Past due 90 days			123,829				130,315				132,162				132,487				107,533
Past due less than 90 days and on nonaccrual			15,702				12,398				22,978				6,077				8,354
Total Nonperforming Loans			139,531				142,713				155,140				138,564				115,887
Other Real Estate Owned			39,914				39,963				41,470				34,605				30,340
Repossessed Assets			422				334				576				813				622
Total Nonperforming Assets		$	179,867			$	183,010			$	197,186			$	173,982			$	146,849
Total Troubled Debt Restructured Loans
Accruing		$	11,240			$	13,254			$	18,214			$	23,153			$	17,640
Non-accruing			33,331				14,934				10,855				8,764				5,008
Total		$	44,571			$	28,188			$	29,069			$	31,917			$	22,648