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IRON MOUNTAIN -- The Upper Peninsula added 3,400 jobs in April as the unemployment rate fell to 5.4%, down from 7.2% in March, according to data released by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget.
The U.P jobless rate was down a full percentage point from a year ago.
"Labor force increases were seen across most Michigan labor market areas during April," said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director of the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. Unemployment rates decreased in all 17 Michigan labor market areas over the year, with a median rate reduction of 0.8 percentage points.
The statewide not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 2.9% in April was down from 4.1% in March and 4% a year ago. The civilian labor force, meanwhile, was up by 1.7% from April 2022.
The construction industry had the largest over-the-year employment increase on a percentage basis at 4.3%. Michigan industries with the largest over-the-year numerical employment gains included government, up by 19,000, and education and health services, also up by 19,000.
The U.P. showed a civilian labor force of 134,200 in April, an estimated gain of 1,000 from March and 2,000 from April 2022. There were 7,300 U.P. workers unemployed in April, down by 2,400 from March and down by 900 from a year ago.
Menominee County had the second-lowest jobless rate in the U.P. in April at 3.8%, followed by Marquette County, 4.6%; Houghton County, 4.7%; and Delta County, 4.8%. The jobless rate in Schoolcraft County was 7.( percent.
The highest jobless rate in the U.P. and the state was in Mackinac County, at 13.4%, followed by Alger County, 9.8%.
Eighty-two of Michigan's 83 counties had unemployment rate reductions between March and April, with a median decrease of 1.7 percentage points. Seventy-nine counties exhibited rate reductions over the year.
The national unemployment rate fell by one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.4% during April.
April 2023 unemployment
Dickinson – 3.7%
Menominee- 3.8%
Marquette – 4.6%
Houghton – 4.7%
Delta – 4.8%
Gogebic – 5.0%
Chippewa – 6.3%
Iron – 6.4%
Baraga – 6.9%
Luce – 7.4%
Keweenaw – 7.5%
Schoolcraft – 7.9%
Ontonagon – 8.6%
Alger – 9.8%
Mackinac – 13.4%
U.P – 5.4%
Michigan – 2.9%
U.S – 3.4%