Michigan’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate declined by two-tenths of a percentage point to 4.9 percent during January, according to data released today by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget. As a result of the annual revision process, the statewide December 2021 rate was revised downward by half a percentage point to 5.1 percent. Michigan’s total employment level in January moved up by 19,000, while the number of unemployed decreased by 11,000.
“Michigan’s unemployment rate declined significantly from 10.0 percent in 2020 to 5.9 percent in 2021,” said Wayne Rourke, associate director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives (LMISI). “This was the third largest rate drop among states in 2021, as Michigan workers returned to jobs following pandemic-related layoffs.”
Michigan’s jobless rate was nearly a full percentage point above the national rate of 4.0 percent in January. The U.S. unemployment rate fell by 2.4 percentage points since January 2021, while the statewide rate declined by 1.5 percentage points over this period.
Monthly and annual labor force trends and highlights
Michigan’s workforce was nearly unchanged in January, edging up by 7,000 or 0.1 percent. In comparison, the U.S labor force rose by 0.9 percent over the month.
Total employment in the state advanced over the year by 113,000, or 2.5 percent, an increase little over half of that recorded nationally (+4.8 percent).
Michigan’s January 2022 rate of 4.9 percent remained 1.1 percentage points above the February 2020 pre-pandemic rate of 3.8 percent.
Michigan’s 2021 annual average labor force data
Michigan’s annual average jobless rate in 2021 of 5.9 percent fell a significant 4.1 percentage points below the 2020 average. The decline in the rate over the year reflected recalls of workers since massive pandemic-related layoffs in mid-2020.
Annual average trends and highlights
Despite the improvement in unemployment trends in 2021, Michigan’s annual average workforce fell 1.4 percent below 2020 levels.
Annual average employment in the state rose by 134,000, or 3.1 percent, during 2021.
The number of Michigan unemployed dropped by over 200,000 in 2021, but remained 77,000, or 37.9 percent, above the 2019 annual average unemployment level.
