Michigan’s Unemployment Rate Has Been At Or Below The National Average For All Of 2016

Non-Michiganders seem to have a predisposed notion that Michigan, specifically the Metro-Detroit area, has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. Well, it doesn't! Michigan actually has an unemployment rate that is about a half percent lower than the national average.

As of last month (August 2016), Michigan has an unemployment rate of 4.5% (216,398 unemployed persons). The national average for the month of August was 4.9%. Michigan ranks 22nd in unemployment, tied with Indiana. South Dakota has the lowest unemployment rate in the nation at 2.9% and Alaska has the highest unemployment rate at 6.8%.

Michigan is continuing to cut it's unemployment rate throughout 2016. Since September of last year, Michigan has added almost 26,000 jobs, with only a few months of net loss over the last year.

Michigan Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Michigan Unemployment Rate	Michigan Unemployed
August 2016	4.9%	4.5%	216,398
July 2016	4.9%	4.5%	214,044
June 2016	4.9%	4.6%	221,805
May 2016	4.7%	4.7%	226,804
April 2016	5.0%	4.8%	232,773
March 2016	5.0%	4.8%	232,239
February 2016	4.9%	4.8%	232,780
January 2016	4.9%	4.9%	237,378
December 2015	5.0%	5.1%	243,303
November 2015	5.0%	5.1%	242,142
October 2015	5.0%	5.1%	241,939
September 2015	5.1%	5.1%	242,200