IRON MOUNTAIN — The Upper Peninsula jobless rate dipped in April — along with the size of its labor force — falling in line with much of the state, according to information released by the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics.

The not seasonally adjusted jobless rate in April in the U.P. was 5.8%, which was down from 6% in March but up from 5.5% a year ago.

The civilian labor force in the region numbered 138,100, down by 1,500 over the month and 2,200 over the year. An estimated 8,000 workers were unemployed in April, compared with 8,400 in March and 7,400 in April 2023.

“Michigan regional labor markets saw unemployment declines in April,” said Wayne Rourke, MCDA labor market information director. “Decreases were also recorded in labor force, employment, and unemployment for a majority of areas this month.”

All 17 Michigan labor market areas exhibited jobless rate increases over the year, with a median rate gain of 0.5 percentage points.

Michigan’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate remained at 3.9% for a third straight month in April. The national jobless rate edged up by 0.1 percentage points to 3.9%, matching the Michigan rate.

Over the year, the U.S. unemployment rate increased by 0.5 percentage points while Michigan’s rate rose 0.3 percentage points.

Employment growth in Michigan during April was mainly driven by the construction industry, Rourke said. Reduced snowfall in the U.S. and Canada, meanwhile, has led to layoffs in some manufacturing sectors.

Dickinson County’s not seasonally jobless rate was listed at 4.9% in April, down from 5% in March but up from 3.6% a year ago. The civilian labor force in the county totaled 12,206 in April, including 597 out of work. The labor force in April 2023 had totaled 12,474, with 454 unemployed.

Iron County’s April jobless rate rose to 7.4%, up from 6.7% in March and 6.2% in April 2023. There were 4,755 people in the labor force in April, including 353 jobless. The labor force a year ago had numbered 4,855, with 299 unemployed.

Sixteen of Michigan’s 17 labor market regions showed employment losses over the month, with a median decrease of 0.5%, Rourke said. The most pronounced employment decline was in the U.P. at 0.9%.

Menominee County had the U.P.’s lowest unemployment rate in April at 4.1%, followed by Marquette County at 4.4% and Houghton County at 4.7%. The highest jobless rate in the U.P. and the state was 14.3% was in Mackinac County.

Sixty-eight of Michigan’s 83 counties showed unemployment rate reductions over the month while jobless rates rose in 77 counties since April 2023.

In Wisconsin, the not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Florence County in April was 4.2%, down from 4.7% in March but up from 3.5% a year ago. Marinette County’s jobless rate of 4.1% was down from 5.1% in March and up from 4% in April 2023.

Wisconsin’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate ticked down to 2.9% in April, a full percentage point below the national rate.

APRIL 2024 JOBLESS RATES

COUNTY …………………………… RATE

Menominee …………………… 4.1%

Marquette …………………… 4.4%

Houghton ……………………… 4.7%

Dickinson …………………… 4.9%

Delta ……………………………… 5.3%

Gogebic ………………………… 5.5%

Keweenaw ……………………… 5.8%

Chippewa ……………………… 7.0%

Baraga …………………………… 7.2%

Iron ………………………………… 7.4%

Schoolcraft ……………… 8.3%

Luce ………………………………… 8.4%

Ontonagon …………………… 8.4%

Alger …………………………… 10.4%

Mackinac …………………… 14.3%

U.P. ………………………………… 5.8%

Michigan ……………………… 3.9%

U.S. ………………………………… 3.9%