LANSING, Mich. – Michigan’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.0 percent during January, according to data released today by the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. Michigan employment rose by 6,000, while unemployment fell by 5,000 over the month. The statewide workforce edged up by 1,000 during January.
“Michigan’s labor market remained stable in January with a nearly unchanged workforce over the month,” said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director for Michigan’s Center for Data and Analytics. “Seasonally adjusted payroll jobs fell slightly during January.”
The national unemployment rate was unchanged over the month at 3.7 percent. Michigan’s January rate was three-tenths of a percentage point above the national rate. Over the year, the U.S. unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points, while Michigan’s rate was unchanged since January 2023.
Labor force trends and highlights
- As a result of the annual revision process,* Michigan’s 2023 annual average jobless rate fell by one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.9 percent.
- Michigan’s December 2023 unemployment rate was revised down by 0.2 percentage points to 4.1 percent during the annual revision process.
- Over the year, Michigan employment advanced by 2.3 percent, while the national employment total rose by 0.6 percent.
- The January statewide labor force participation rate remained unchanged over the month at 62.3 percent. Michigan’s employment-population ratio advanced by one-tenth of a percentage point to 59.8 percent during January.
Detroit metro area unemployment rate decreases in January
The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn Metropolitan Statistical Area’s (MSA) seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was reduced by one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.9 percent in January. The region’s workforce edged up by 2,000 over the month.
The Detroit MSA jobless rate rose by 0.4 percentage points over the year. Employment rose by 52,000 and unemployment advanced by 10,000 since January 2023.
Michigan payroll employment decreases during January
According to the monthly survey of employers, Michigan seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment declined by 3,000, or 0.1 percent, over the month, resulting in a job total of 4,463,000.
Industry employment trends and highlights
- The annual revision process* increased overall payroll jobs in Michigan in 2023. As a result, Michigan payroll job levels surpassed pre-pandemic February 2020 levels in April 2023.
- In January, Michigan payroll jobs surpassed February 2020 job levels by 15,000.
- Despite minor job gains across multiple industries, total payroll jobs fell during January due to large over-the-month employment declines in leisure and hospitality (-4,000) and manufacturing (-3,000).
- The state’s construction sector observed employment growth for the third consecutive month (+2,000).
- Total nonfarm jobs rose by 34,000, or 0.8 percent, since January 2023.
- The largest over-the-year numerical industry job gains occurred in the state’s government (+19,000) and education and health services (+18,000) sectors.
For more detailed information, including data tables, view the full release.
*Important note about annual data revisions:
The data in this release reflects recently revised historical estimates. All states in the nation participate in this revision process facilitated by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Seasonally adjusted and unadjusted monthly labor force estimates from 2019–2023 for Michigan and the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn MSA were revised.
In addition, all unadjusted payroll job data was revised for 2022 and 2023. Seasonally adjusted payroll job data was revised back to 2019 for all industries. For certain industries with larger historical revisions, unadjusted and seasonally adjusted payroll job data was revised for multiple years, some back to 1990. For newly revised data, go to www.milmi.org/datasearch.
Previously published data for these years should be discarded and replaced with these new series.
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