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IRON MOUNTAIN -- The Upper Peninsula added 3,400 jobs in April as the unemployment rate fell to 5.4%, down from 7.2% in March, according to data released by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget.
The U.P jobless rate was down a full percentage point from a year ago.
"Labor force increases were seen across most Michigan labor market areas during April," said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director of the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. Unemployment rates decreased in all 17 Michigan labor market areas over the year, with a median rate reduction of 0.8 percentage points.
The statewide not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 2.9% in April was down from 4.1% in March and 4% a year ago. The civilian labor force, meanwhile, was up by 1.7% from April 2022.
The construction industry had the largest over-the-year employment increase on a percentage basis at 4.3%. Michigan industries with the largest over-the-year numerical employment gains included government, up by 19,000, and education and health services, also up by 19,000.
The U.P. showed a civilian labor force of 134,200 in April, an estimated gain of 1,000 from March and 2,000 from April 2022. There were 7,300 U.P. workers unemployed in April, down by 2,400 from March and down by 900 from a year ago.
Dickinson County had the lowest jobless rate in the region in April at 3.7%, down from 4.9% in March and 4.6% a year ago. The county's civilian labor force numbered 12,023 in April, including 448 looking for work. That compared to a labor force of 11,987 in April 2022, which included 557 unemployed.
Iron County's jobless rate of 6.4% in April was down from 8.1% in March and 6.6% in April 2022. The civilian labor force of 4,624 included 295 unemployed, which compared to a labor force of 4,685 a year ago, with 307 out of work.
Menominee County had the second-lowest jobless rate in the U.P. in April at 3.8%, followed by Marquette County, 4.6%; Houghton County, 4.7%; and Delta County, 4.8%.
The highest jobless rate in the U.P. and the state was in Mackinac County, at 13.4%, followed by Alger County, 9.8%.
Eighty-two of Michigan's 83 counties had unemployment rate reductions between March and April, with a median decrease of 1.7 percentage points. Seventy-nine counties exhibited rate reductions over the year.
The national unemployment rate fell by one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.4% during April.
In Wisconsin, the April jobless rate was 3.2% in Florence County and 3.4% in Marinette County, according to the Department of Workforce Development
April 2023 unemployment
COUNTY RATE
Dickinson ............… 3.7%
Menominee ............ 3.8%
Marquette .............. 4.6%
Houghton ............... 4.7%
Delta ............………. 4.8%
Gogebic .........…….. 5.0%
Chippewa .............. 6.3%
Iron .........………...... 6.4%
Baraga .................. 6.9%
Luce ...............……..7.4%
Keweenaw ............. 7.5%
Schoolcraft .........…. 7.9%
Ontonagon ......….... 8.6%
Alger .................... 9.8%
Mackinac ……………. 13.4%
U.P ....................... 5.4%
Michigan ............... 2.9%
U.S ....................... 3.4%