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IRON MOUNTAIN -- The Upper Peninsula's not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged in July, remaining at 5.2%, according to data released by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget.
The region showed a civilian labor force of 133,900 in July with 7,000 unemployed, according to DTMB data. The U.P. added 1,300 jobs over the month, a gain of 1%.
"Most Michigan regional labor markets exhibited minor unemployment rate changes during July," said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director for the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics.
Over the year, the size of the U.P.'s labor force dipped by an estimated 10,000 workers, a decline of 6.9%, the data shows. The unemployment rate in July 2025 in the region was 6.2%, with 8,900 jobless in a workforce of 143,900.
Michigan's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dipped by one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.9% in July, compared with a national rate of 4.1%. The national jobless rate decreased by two-tenths of a percentage point over the year, while the statewide rate was the same as in July 2025.
"Michigan's jobless rate inched down over the month, reflecting a decrease in both unemployment and total workforce during July," Rourke said.
Manufacturing recorded the largest over-the-month Michigan employment increase in July, with jobs advancing by 4,000. The leisure and hospitality sector showed employment growth for the fifth consecutive month as jobs have increased by 9,000 statewide since February.
Since July 2025, employment in Michigan has receded by 6,000 jobs in trade, transportation and utilities as well as in professional and business services.
Dickinson County's not seasonally adjusted July jobless rate of 4.4% was unchanged from June. It was down, however, from 5.2% a year ago.
The labor force in Dickinson County numbered 11,759 in July, including 521 unemployed. There were 660 jobless in a workforce of 12,066 in July 2025.
Iron County's July unemployment rate of 6.3% was up from 6.1% in June and was the highest in the U.P. There were 256 jobless in a workforce of 4,080 in July, compared with 333 unemployed in a workforce of 4,557 a year ago. The July 2025 unemployment rate in Iron County was 7.3%.
Forty-eight of Michigan's 83 counties demonstrated unemployment rate increases during July, with a median gain of 0.2 percentage points. Jobless rates fell in 79 Michigan counties over the year.
Mackinac County had the lowest jobless rate in the U.P. in July at 3.7%, followed by Menominee County at 4.2%.
Iron County's unemployment rate was narrowly higher than the 6.2% rate in Ontonagon, Gogebic, Schoolcraft and Luce counties.
Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development reported a not seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 3.4% in Florence County in July, unchanged from June and a year ago. Marinette County's unemployment rate of 4.2% in July was the same as in June but up slightly from 4.1% a year ago.
JULY UNEMPLOYMENT
Mackinac -- 3.7%
Menominee -- 4.2%
Dickinson -- 4.4%
Marquette -- 5.0%
Houghton -- 5.4%
Keweenaw -- 5.4%
Alger -- 5.4%
Chippewa -- 5.5%
Delta -- 5.6%
Baraga -- 5.8%
Gogebic -- 6.2%
Luce -- 6.2%
Schoolcraft -- 6.2%
Ontonagon -- 6.2%
Iron -- 6.3%
Upper Peninsula -- 5.2%
Michigan -- 5.4%
*Rates are not seasonally adjusted.