RON MOUNTAIN — The Upper Peninsula jobless rate held steady at 4.3% in October, reflecting a statewide trend, according to data released by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget.

Michigan’s unemployment rate remained at 3.7%, down from 4.5% a year ago. The U.P’s rate, however, was up by 0.4 percentage points from October 2021.

“Michigan regional labor markets displayed little change during October,” said Wayne Rourke, associate director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives. “Payroll jobs advanced modestly in most metro areas over the month. Large employment increases in industries such as government and professional and business services were partially offset by minor decreases across multiple other sectors.”

The U.P.’s civilian labor force was estimated at 133,300 in October, down by 2,600 workers from September but up by 2,100 from a year ago. The U.P. jobless rate in October 2021 was 3.9%.

Across the state, 31 counties saw jobless rates increases between September and October, 23 exhibited rate declines and 29 stayed the same, Rourke said. Jobless rates were up in 49 of Michigan’s 83 counties from a year ago, he added.

The jobless rate was 4.3 percent in Delta County. Unemployment was reported at 5.6 Percent in Schoolcraft County.

Mackinac County had the lowest jobless rate in the U.P. in October at 3.4%, followed by Dickinson and Menominee at 3.6% and Houghton at 3.8%.

The region’s highest unemployment rate was 7% in Alger County, up from 5.7% in September.

The U.S. not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in October was 3.7%, up from 3.5% in September but down from 4.6% a year ago.

September 2022 unemployment

Mackinac – 3.4%

Dickinson – 3.6%

Menominee – 3.6%

Houghton – 3.8%

Marquette – 4.2%

Delta – 4.3%

Gogebic – 4.4%

Chippewa – 4.6%

Luce – 4.8%

Iron – 4.9%

Keweenaw – 5.1%

Schoolcraft – 5.6%

Baraga – 5.9%

Ontonagon – 6.2%

Alger – 7.0%

U.P. – 4.3%

Michigan – 3.7%

U.S. – 3.7%