IRON MOUNTAIN — The Upper Peninsula’s jobless rate dipped to 5.2% in July, a decline of 0.1 percentage points from June and the only rate decrease among Michigan’s 17 labor market areas, state officials said.

“Michigan regional labor markets exhibited typical jobless rate hikes during July,” said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director of the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. “Seasonal job cuts in the state’s government sector contributed to payroll employment decreases across most metro areas.”

The statewide not-seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 4.3% in July was up from 4.1% in June but down from 4.5% a year ago, according to data released by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. The state’s civilian labor force, meanwhile, was up by 3% from a year ago.

The U.P.’s jobless rate of 5.2% was down from 5.3% in June and 5.5% in July 2022. The region’s civilian labor force was estimated at 136,800 in July, with 7,200

unemployed. That compared with a labor force of 135,800 a year ago, which included 7,500 out of work.

“Since July 2022, jobless rates receded in 16 Michigan labor market areas, with a median rate reduction of 0.5 percentage points,” Rourke said.

Dickinson County’s July jobless rate of 4.2% was up from 4.1% in June but down from 4.5% a year ago. The county showed a civilian labor force of 12,219 in July, including 515 unemployed. In July 2022, the labor force was reported at 12,457, with 561 jobless.

In Iron County, July’s unemployment rate of 5.7% was the same as June’s rate but down from 6% in July 2022. The labor force in July numbered 4,813, with 272 jobless. That compared to a labor force of 4,831 in July 2022, when 288 were unemployed.

Mackinac County had the lowest jobless rate in the U.P. in July at 3.4%, followed by Dickinson’s 4.2% rate and Menominee County at 4.6%. Ontonagon County showed the highest rate at 7.3%, but that was down from 8.1% in June. Schoolcraft County had the second-highest rate at 7%, followed by Keweenaw at 6.8%.

Jobless rates increased in 51 of Michigan’s 83 counties in July, while 14 were unchanged and 18 showed decreases. Jobless rates fell in 66 counties over the year.

The U.S. jobless rate of 3.5% in July was down from 3.6% in June and the same as July 2022.

JULY 2023 UNEMPLOYMENT

COUNTY …………………… RATE

Mackinac …………………… 3.4%

Dickinson …………………… 4.2%

Menominee …………………… 4.6%

Marquette …………………… 5.1%

Gogebic …………………… 5.3%

Delta …………………… 5.4%

Houghton …………………… 5.5%

Luce …………………… 5.5%

Chippewa …………………… 5.6%

Iron …………………… 5.7%

Alger …………………… 6.7%

Baraga …………………… 6.7%

Keweenaw …………………… 6.8%

Schoolcraft …………………… 7.0%

Ontonagon …………………… 7.3%

U.P. …………………… 5.2%

Michigan …………………… 4.3%

U.S. …………………… 3.5%