IRON MOUNTAIN — The Upper Peninsula jobless rate fell to 4% in September, slightly higher than a year ago but well below the August rate of 4.9%.

“While jobless rates moved lower in all Michigan counties, the largest decreases were seen in Upper Peninsula counties,” said Jeffrey Aula, an economic analyst with the Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives.

The decline in many counties was related to a seasonal reduction in the number of people actively looking for work, Aula said. In Marquette, Houghton and Chippewa counties, total employment climbed due the start of the new post-secondary academic year.

The September decline in unemployment in the U.P. was nearly double the 0.5 percentage point decline seen statewide over the month, Aula said.

Dickinson County’s jobless rate of 3.4% was the second-lowest in the U.P. and compared with an August rate of 3.9% and a September 2018 rate of 2.9%. The county’s civilian labor force totaled 12,400, including 425 unemployed.

Iron County’s jobless rate was 4.2%, down from 4.9% in August but up from 3.7% a year ago. Its labor force numbered 5,150, with 225 looking for work.

“The Upper Peninsula’s not-seasonally adjusted September 2019 unemployment rate of 4% remained above the statewide rate of 3.7% and the national rate of 3.3%,” Aula said.

Mackinac County had the lowest jobless rate in the region at 2.9%. The highest rates were in Alger, 5.3%, and Ontonagon, 5.1%.

Since September 2018, the unemployment rate in the U.P. moved higher by 0.4 percentage points. Only Ontonagon had a lower rate than a year ago, falling from 5.4% to 5.1%.

COUNTY RATE

Alger………………..5.3 percent

Baraga……………..4.8 percent

Chippewa…………4.3 percent

Delta………………..3.9 percent

Dickinson………….3.4 percent

Gogebic……………4.6 percent

Houghton………….4.2 percent

Iron………………….4.2 percent

Keweenaw……….4.8 percent

Luce…………………4.5 percent

Mackinac………….2.9 percent

Marquette…………3.9 percent

Menominee………3.5 percent

Ontonagon……….5.1 percent

Schoolcraft……….4.9 percent

U.P………………….4.0 percent

Michigan…………..3.7 percent

U.S………………….3.3 percent

Jim Anderson can be reached at 906-774-2772 ext. 226 or janderson@ironmountaindailynews.com.