The Upper Peninsula’s unemployment rate fell by three-tenths of a percentage point in May, according to the Michigan Department of Technology and Budget. State officials say the jobless rate was at 5.9 percent, compared to 6.2 percent in May of 2025. The jobless is also down by four-tenths of a percentage point from April’s unemployment rate, which was at 6.3 percent.
Overall, the state estimates that the UP had 7,900 people unemployed across the 15 counties in the region in May. That compares to roughly 8,800 in May of 2025, which is a decrease of more than ten percent. The number of people reported as jobless also fell by six percent compared to April’s figures.
“Michigan regional labor markets were largely influenced by seasonal labor force gains in May” said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director for the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. “Payroll jobs rose in most metro areas over the month.”
May Jobless rates in our RRN Listening area:
MENOMINEE COUNTY 4.7% (4.3% in April)
MARQUETTE COUNTY 5.6% (5.5% in April)
DICKINSON COUNTY 5.9% (4.4% in April)
DELTA COUNTY 6.0% (5.9% in April)
SCHOOLCRAFT COUNTY 7.2% (8.7% in April)
IRON COUNTY 7.3% (7.9% in April)
LUCE COUNTY 7.7% (8.0% in April)
ALGER COUNTY 8.0% (10.3% in April)
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