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Michigan jobless rate stays constant in February

April 16, 2026

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged over the month, remaining at 5.0 percent during February, according to data released today by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget. Employment fell by 9,000 over the month, while the number of unemployed people decreased by 1,000. Michigan’s labor force declined by 9,000 during February.    

“Michigan’s unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.0 percent in February as the size of the state’s labor force continued to shrink,” said Wayne Rourke, labor market information director for Michigan’s Center for Data and Analytics. “Payroll jobs decreased slightly over the month and over the year.”

The U.S. unemployment rate inched up by one-tenth of a percentage point over the month to 4.4 percent. Michigan’s February unemployment rate was 0.6 percentage points above the U.S. rate. Over the year, the national unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points, while Michigan’s rate decreased by 0.3 percentage points since February 2025.

 

Detailed data will be available for viewing and download with the MCDA Data Search tool by noon.

Media Contact:

Laura Wotruba

WotrubaL@michigan.gov

517-282-9753

Michigan and U.S. Unemployment Rate

Seasonally Adjusted

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Data for October 2025 were not collected due to the federal government shutdown.

Source: Local Area Unemployment Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 

 

Labor force trends and highlights

  • Michigan’s unemployment rate remained constant at 5.0 percent for the fourth consecutive month.
  • The total number of unemployed in the state decreased by 0.4 percent over the month, while the national unemployment total advanced by 2.8 percent during February.
  • The statewide labor force receded by 1.7 percent since February 2025, while the U.S. workforce was unchanged over the year.
  • Michigan’s labor force participation rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point to 60.5 percent during February. Michigan’s employment-population ratio fell by two-tenths of a percentage point over the month to 57.4 percent.

 

Michigan Labor Force Estimates

Seasonally Adjusted

Labor Market Indicators Feb. 2026 Jan. 2026 Feb. 2025 Over-the-month Change Over-the-year Change
Civilian Labor Force 4,984,000 4,993,000 5,070,000 -9,000 (-0.2%) -86,000 (-1.7%)
Employed 4,732,000 4,741,000 4,800,000 -9,000 (-0.2%) -68,000 (-1.4%)
Unemployed 251,000 252,000 270,000 -1,000 (-0.4%) -19,000 (-7.0%)
Unemployment Rate 5.0% 5.0% 5.3% 0.0 -0.3

Source: Local Area Unemployment Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

 

Detroit metro area jobless rate increases during February

The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn Metropolitan Statistical Area’s (MSA) seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose by two-tenths of a percentage point to 5.1 percent in February. Employment in the Detroit MSA inched up by 3,000 over the month and total unemployment increased by 3,000. The region’s labor force advanced by 6,000 in February.

Since February 2025, the Detroit MSA unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point. The Detroit region’s workforce fell by 4,000 over the year.

 

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn MSA Labor Force Estimates

Seasonally Adjusted

Labor Market Indicators Feb. 2026 Jan. 2026 Feb. 2025 Over-the-month Change Over-the-year Change
Civilian Labor Force 2,175,000 2,169,000 2,179,000 6,000 (0.3%) -4,000 (-0.2%)
Employed 2,065,000 2,062,000 2,067,000 3,000 (0.1%) -2,000 (-0.1%)
Unemployed 110,000 107,000 112,000 3,000 (2.8%) -2,000 (-1.8%)
Unemployment Rate 5.1% 4.9% 5.2% 0.2 -0.1

Source: Local Area Unemployment Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

 

Michigan payroll jobs decline in February

According to the monthly survey of employers, Michigan seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs decreased by 5,000 between January and February, resulting in a job total of 4,470,000.

Industry employment trends and highlights

  • Total nonfarm employment in Michigan decreased in February largely due to job losses in trade, transportation, and utilities (-4,000).
  • On a percentage basis, the state’s information sector exhibited the largest employment decline both over the month (-1.5 percent) and over the year (-4.8 percent).
  • Statewide total payroll jobs were 13,000, or 0.3 percent, below their year-ago level.
  • Since February 2025, private education and health services and government recorded the largest job gains, with employment increasing by 10,000 in each industry.
  • Over the year, the state’s manufacturing (-12,000) and trade, transportation, and utilities (-9,000) sectors recorded the most pronounced numerical job losses.

Michigan Total Nonfarm Jobs

Seasonally Adjusted

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Source: Current Employment Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Michigan Industry Job Change

Seasonally Adjusted, February 2026

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Source: Current Employment Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

 

 

Note on 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 2021–2025 for Michigan and the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn MSA were revised.

In addition, all unadjusted payroll job data was revised for 2024 and 2025. Seasonally adjusted payroll job data was revised back to 2021 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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