IRON MOUNTAIN — Revised data from the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget shows higher jobless rates than previously reported for Dickinson and Iron counties.

Initial data in late January showed Dickinson County with a jobless rate of 4.4% in December 2020, but that rate is now reported at 6.1%. Likewise, Iron County’s December rate is listed at 7.2%, compared with 5.2% previously.

Labor force estimates for Michigan counties have been revised for all months of 2020, reflecting recently revised historical estimates, the department said. All states participate in this revision process, facilitated by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Data for January 2021 shows Dickinson County with a jobless rate of 6%, about equal to the revised December rate. Iron County’s January rate is 7.2%, the same as its December revision. Jobless rates in both counties are up by 1.5 percentage points from January 2020.

Michigan’s January unemployment rate was 6.1%, up from 4.2% a year ago but down from 8.3% in December.

During the pandemic, monthly labor force changes have been volatile and difficult to evaluate, said Wayne Rourke, associate director of the Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives.

“Over the year, recently revised data shows that statewide nonfarm employment dropped significantly by 402,000, or 9.2%, reflecting the substantial impact of the pandemic on job levels,” Rourke said.

The most pronounced over-the-year reduction occurred in the leisure and hospitality sector, which lost 153,000 jobs, mostly in the restaurant and hotel industries.

Reductions in January were mainly in retail trade, government and construction, Rourke said. Not seasonally adjusted jobless rates rose over the year in all 17 Michigan labor market regions, with a median rate increase of 2.9 percentage points, he said.

The jobless rate in the Upper Peninsula in January was 7.6%, which compares with 7.3% in December and 5.9% in January 2020.

The region’s civilian labor force numbered 132,800, including 10,100 who were unemployed, a jobless increase of 2,100 from January 2020. The number of people in the labor force was estimated to be down by 2,300 from a year ago.

Menominee County had the lowest jobless rate in the Upper Peninsula in January at 5.1%. Houghton County, at 6%, tied with Dickinson County for second-lowest. Mackinac County had the highest rate statewide at 19.5%.

The lowest unemployment rate in Michigan in January was 3.8% in Livingston County. Menominee’s rate was tied for sixth-lowest.

COUNTY RATE

Menominee ………… 5.1%

Houghton ………. 6.0%

Dickinson ……… 6.0%

Marquette ……… 6.7%

Gogebic ……….. 6.3%

Marquette ….6.7%

Delta ………………7.6%

Iron ………7.8%

Luce ……………….8.6%

Ontonagon ……….8.6%

Keweenaw ………..8.9%

Chippewa ………..9.1%

Baraga ……………. 9.6%

Schoolcraft ….10.2%

Alger ……………… 11.4%

Mackinac ………… 19.5%

U.P……………………. 7.6%

Michigan …………. 6.1%

U.S ……….6.3%