IRON MOUNTAIN — The Upper Peninsula’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate climbed to 6.2% in December as the number of jobless workers grew by an estimated 1,200 since November, according to data released by the Michigan Department of Technology Management and Budget.

“Most Michigan regional labor markets exhibited prominent employment decreases both over the month and over the year,” said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director for the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics.

“Unemployment rates advanced in most areas in December but were down from the previous year,” he added.

The U.P. jobless rate was up by 0.9 percentage points from November but down by 0.9 percentage points from a year ago. The region showed the largest over-the-month employment decrease in the state, with the number of employed workers falling by 4,600, a decline of 3.4%.

The U.P. had a civilian labor force estimated at 137,800 in December, down by 3,400 from November and 3,200 from December 2024. The number of jobless workers totaled 8,600 in December — 1,200 more than in November but 1,400 fewer than in December 2024.

Dickinson County’s jobless rate of 4.6% in December compared with a reported rate of 4.3% in November and 5.6% in December 2024. Iron County’s December jobless rate of 8% compared with 6.5% in November and 8.7% a year ago.

Meanwhile, the nation’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate was 4.4% in December, down from 4.5% in November, but up from 4.1% in December 2024.

Michigan’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate was unchanged over the month and down 0.2 percentage points from a year ago.

“Michigan’s unemployment rate ended the year at 5 percent, after peaking to 5.5 percent during the first half of 2025,” Rourke said. “Both employment and unemployment levels receded throughout the year.”

Over the year, payroll employment estimates showed a gain of 14,000 jobs statewide in government and a gain of 11,000 in private education and health services. Construction, meanwhile, was up by 6,000 jobs, as was the financial activities sector.

The biggest numeric drop was in professional and business services, down by 6,000. Manufacturing was down by 2,000 jobs over the year, while retail trade was also down by 2,000.

The state’s not seasonally adjusted jobless rate in December was 4.8%.

Menominee County showed the lowest unemployment rate in the U.P. in December at 4.5%, followed by Dickinson’s 4.6% rate, and Houghton County at 5.3%.

Mackinac County had the highest jobless rate in the state at 13.3%. Alger County had the second-highest jobless rate in the U.P. at 9.1%, followed by Schoolcraft County, 8.7%.

Sixty-six of Michigan’s 83 counties showed unemployment rate increases during December while jobless rates fell in 76 counties over the year.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Florence County’s December jobless rate of 3.9% was up from 3.2% in November but down from 4% in December 2024. Marinette County’s unemployment rate of 3.8% in December was up from 3.4% in November but down from 4% a year ago.

DECEMBER UNEMPLOYMENT

Menominee … 4.5%

Dickinson … 4.6%

Houghton … 5.3%

Gogebic … 5.4%

Marquette … 5.5%

Delta … 6.5%

Baraga … 6.6%

Chippewa … 6.9%

Keweenaw … 7.0%

Ontonagon … 7.1%

Luce … 7.6%

Iron … 8.0%

Schoolcraft … 8.7%

Alger … 9.1%

Mackinac … 13.3%

U.P. … 6.2%

Michigan … 4.8%

*Rates are not seasonally adjusted