LANSING, Mich. – Not seasonally adjusted jobless rates rose in all 17 Michigan labor market areas over the month, according to data released today by the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics.   

“Michigan regional labor markets displayed jobless rate increases typical for February,” said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director for the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. “Employment gains were seen in most metro areas during February.”

Regional unemployment rates in the state ranged from 3.0 to 8.3 percent in February, with a median rate increase of 0.3 percentage points over the month. Rate increases ranged from 0.1 to 1.0 percentage points, with the largest over-the-month increase seen in the Northeast Lower Michigan region.

Over the year, 16 Michigan regions observed jobless rate declines, with a median rate reduction of 0.5 percentage points. Since February 2023, the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metropolitan statistical area (MSA) was the only region to exhibit a rate increase (+0.3 percentage points).

Total employment up over month and year

Total employment rose in 15 Michigan labor market areas over the month, with a median increase of 0.4 percent. The most pronounced over-the-month employment increase was seen in the Lansing MSA (+3.2 percent). The Detroit MSA was the only labor market area to exhibit an employment decrease over the month (-0.8 percent). Employment in the Northeast Lower Michigan region was unchanged over the month.

Employment advanced in all 17 Michigan regions over the year, with a median increase of 2.3 percent. The largest over-the-year employment gain occurred in the Monroe MSA (+3.9 percent).

Regional workforce levels up over month and year

Labor force levels advanced in 16 Michigan regions over the month, with a median increase of 0.7 percent. The largest over-the-month workforce increase occurred in the Lansing metro area (+3.4 percent). Detroit was the only region to see a labor force decline in February (-0.7 percent).

Michigan workforce levels rose in all 17 regions over the year, with a median increase of 1.6 percent. The Monroe MSA demonstrated the largest over-the-year increase of 3.2 percent.

Regional nonfarm employment advances in February

According to the monthly survey of employers, Michigan not seasonally adjusted payroll jobs increased by 43,000, or 1.0 percent, over the month. Employment gains were observed in statewide industries such as government (+22,000) and private education and health services (+16,000).         

In February, payroll jobs advanced in 13 Michigan metro areas, with a median increase of 0.6 percent. The largest nonfarm employment gain occurred in the Lansing MSA (+3.6 percent).

Michigan total nonfarm jobs increased by 40,000, or 0.9 percent, over the year. Since February 2023, 12 metro areas demonstrated payroll job gains, with a median increase of 1.7 percent.  

County jobless rates up over month, down over year

Eighty-one Michigan counties demonstrated unemployment rate increases over the month, with a median advance of 0.4 percentage points. Over the year, unemployment rates receded in 75 counties.

Note: Data in this release is not seasonally adjusted. As a result, employment and unemployment trends may differ from previously released Michigan seasonally adjusted data.

A breakdown of not seasonally adjusted February workforce estimates for Michigan and its 17 major labor market areas follows, along with a ranking of county jobless rates for February.     

Note to editors: Please ensure that the source for state unemployment rates reads “Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget.”

For more detailed information, including data tables, view the full release.

Note data revisions:

The data in this release reflects recently revised historical estimates. All states in the nation participate in this revision process facilitated by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Labor force estimates for Michigan counties have been revised for all months of 2023. Revised data will be released in coming weeks for 2019–2022.

In addition, all unadjusted payroll job data for Michigan and all metro areas was revised for 2022 and 2023. For certain industries with larger historical revisions, unadjusted payroll job data was revised for multiple years, some back to 1990. For newly revised data, go to www.milmi.org/datasearch.

Previously published data for these years should be discarded and replaced with the new series.

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