ClickOnDetroit
May 18, 2023
Joseph Goral
Michigan’s unemployment rate dropped by three-tenths of a percent to 3.8% last month, according to the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget. Employment in Michigan rose by 30,000, unemployment decreased by 14,000, and Michigan’s labor force increased by 18,000 over the month.
The state’s April employment level of 4,682,000 was the largest employment total seen in Michigan since March 2020′s total of 4,731,000. While the April rate of 3.8% matched Michigan’s February 2020 pre-pandemic rate, last month’s statewide labor force remained 72,000 below its February 2020 level.
In Metro Detroit, the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn Metropolitan Statistical Area’s (MSA) employment total increased by 11,000 while unemployment declined by 7,000 in April. This created a minor workforce gain and a jobless rate reduction.
Michigan’s Industry Trends and Highlights
April exhibited the largest numerical employment gain for Michigan’s professional business services sector, and marked the sixth consecutive month the state’s total farm jobs rose. Nonfarm employment rose by 1.4%, the construction industry had the largest over-the-year employment increase on percentage basis 4.3%, and the government and health service industries had the largest numerical over-the-year employment gains.
Michigan’s payroll jobs also increased by 0.1% over the month primarily due to increases in the professional businesses services sector, but were still 30,000 below their February 2020 pre-pandemic level.
The Michigan’s manufacturing industry’s average weekly earnings rose by nearly 6% over the year.
Michigan Compared to the U.S.
In comparison, the national unemployment rate fell one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.4% in April, making Michigan’s April jobless rate 0.4 percentage points above the national U.S. average. The total national unemployment drop last month was 3.1% while Michigan’s drop was over twice that amount at 7%.
For more information on Michigan’s and national employment rates, click here.