IRON MOUNTAIN — The Upper Peninsula’s jobless rate climbed to 6.6% in February, up from 6.3% in January but below the 7.5% rate reported a year ago, according to data from the Michigan Department of Technology Management and Budget.

“Most of Michigan’s regional labor markets displayed only minor shifts in unemployment in February,” said Wayne Rourke, associate director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives.

The state jobless rate was 5.3% in February, up from 5.1% in January and below the 6.8% rate in February 2021. Unemployment rates fell in all 17 of Michigan’s labor market areas over the year with a median decrease of 1.5 percentage points.

“Payroll jobs rose seasonally in government as classes resumed at area schools and universities, and a few metro areas were impacted by layoffs or recalls in the auto sector,” Rourke said.

Dickinson County’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in February was 4.8%, up from 4.5% in January and below the February 2021 rate of 5.8%.

The county’s jobless rate in February 2020 was 4.2%. Two months later it would soar to 16.9%, the high point of pandemic layoffs.

The civilian labor force in Dickinson County numbered 12,174 in February, including 582 unemployed. That compares with a labor force of 12,048 in pre-pandemic February 2020, when 500 were out of work.

Iron County was among just 13 counties in Michigan to show a rate decline over the month. Its jobless rate dipped to 6.8% in February, down from 6.9% in January. Iron County’s jobless rate was 8% a year ago while the February 2020 rate was 6%.

The labor force in Iron County totaled 4,775 in February, including 330 unemployed. In February 2020, the county’s labor force numbered 4,995, with 296 out of work.

Menominee County had the lowest jobless rate in the U.P. in February at 4.4%, followed by Dickinson County’s rate of 4.8%. Mackinac County had the highest jobless rate in the state at 18.1%.

The U.S. jobless rate in February was 3.8%.

FEBRUARY 2022 UNEMPLOYMENT

COUNTY …………… RATE

Menominee …………. 4.4%

Dickinson …………… 4.8%

Houghton …………… 5.1%

Gogebic ……………… 5.5%

Marquette ………….. 5.7%

Keweenaw …………. .6.7%

Iron …………………… 6.8%

Delta …………………. 7.0%

Luce …………………. 7.3%

Ontonagon ………… 7.5%

Chippewa …………… 8.0%

Alger ………………… 9.0%

Baraga ……………… 9.3%

Schoolcraft ……….10.3%

Mackinac …………..18.1%

U.P. …………………..6.6%

Michigan …………… 5.3%

U.S. ………………….. 3.8%