Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Livingston County continues to have the lowest unemployment rate of all of Michigan’s 83 counties.

Not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates advanced in 15 of Michigan’s 17 labor market areas over the month. That’s according to data recently released by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget.

Wayne Rourke, labor market information director for the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics, said “Michigan regional unemployment gains were primarily driven by employment reductions across the labor market areas over the month. Preliminary annual average regional jobless rates also rose over the year.”

Regional jobless rates in the state ranged from 4.0 to 8.8% in December, with a median rate increase of 0.7 percentage points.

The largest over-the-month rate increase occurred in the Northeast Lower Peninsula region while Jobless rates fell in the Monroe metropolitan statistical area (MSA) and the Detroit MSA over the month.

The state says annual average unemployment rates increased over the year. Preliminary annual average data indicated that regional unemployment rates advanced in all 17 Michigan regions over the year. Rate increases ranged from 0.2 to 0.9 percentage points, with a median rate gain of 0.4 percentage points.

Total employment was down over month but up over the year. All 17 Michigan regions exhibited employment reductions over the month, with a median decrease of 1.8%.
Regional workforce totals were down over the month but up over the year. Labor force levels fell in all 17 Michigan regions over the month, with a median decrease of 1%.
All 83 Michigan counties exhibited unemployment rate increases over the year.

Livingston County ranked number one by unemployment rate at 3.3%, followed by Oakland County at 3.8%. Washtenaw County ranked 4th at 4%, Ingham County 10th at 4.5%, and Genesee County ranked 43rd at 6.1%. Mackinac County had the highest, ranking 83rd at 17.9%.