Not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates fell in all 17 Michigan labor market areas, including the Upper Peninsula, during March, according to data released Thursday by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget.
“Michigan’s regional labor markets recorded positive trends over the month,” said Wayne Rourke, associate director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives. “March was characterized by seasonal jobless rate reductions across all regions and payroll job gains in most metro areas.”
The Upper Peninsula’s unemployment rate fell to 5.7% in March, compared to 6.6% in February and 7.4% in March of 2021. The lowest unemployment rate in the U.P, was in Menominee County at 4 percent, followed closely by Dickinson County at 4.1% and Houghton County at 4.6%.
The highest unemployment, as usual at this time of year, was in Mackinac County at 14.5%. The second-highest was Schoolcraft County (13.6%), followed by Alger County (7,8%) and Baraga County (7.9%).
There’s an estimated 7,500 unemployed Upper Peninsula residents, out of an estimated workforce of 132,000.
Michigan regional jobless rates ranged from 3.1 to 7.5 percent. Unemployment rate declines ranged from 0.5 to 1.8 percentage points, with a median decrease of 0.9 percentage points. The most pronounced jobless rate reduction occurred in the Monroe metropolitan statistical area (MSA) as a result of recalls from auto-related layoffs during the prior month.
Jobless rates moved down in all major Michigan regions since March 2021, with a notable median decline of 2.1 percentage points. The largest over-the-year rate decrease occurred in the Muskegon metro area (-3.1 percentage points).
All 83 Michigan counties registered unemployment rate reductions over the month, with the largest jobless rate cut occurring in Mackinac County. Jobless rates fell in all 83 counties over the year as well.
For more detailed information, including data tables, view the full release.
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