Michigan Works! Regional Update: Labor Force Trends in the West Michigan Works! Area

The West Michigan Works! area had the largest labor force among the 16 Michigan Works! areas in 2023 with 781,400. Oakland County Michigan Works! had the second largest labor force with 687,900. In 2000, the West Michigan Works! area also had the largest labor force, although the gap between the region and Oakland County Michigan Works! was just 9,300.

The labor force in the West Michigan Works! area has increased by 13.5 percent since 2000, the largest increase of any area. The next largest percentage increase was 4.4 percent in the Michigan Works! Southeast area. Notably, the Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation area saw a decrease of 34.0 percent.

In 2000, West Michigan Works! had the fifth lowest jobless rate at 3.3 percent and was 0.3 percentage points lower than the rate observed in Michigan. The region saw a rate of 3.4 percent in 2023, the third lowest statewide and 0.5 percentage points lower than the statewide rate.

Increases in the West Michigan Works! labor force have coincided with drastic gains in the area’s population. From 2000 to 2023, the region’s population has increased by 189,300 (14.9 percent). The Northwest Michigan Works! area had the second largest growth in population at 11.8 percent. Michigan’s population has increased 7.8 percent over the period. The West Michigan Works! population in 2023 measured 1,461,000, the largest of any region.

West Michigan Works! has had the greatest increase in labor force since 2000.

Percent Change in Labor Force by Michigan Works! Area, 2000–2023

Source: Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Michigan Center for Data and Analytics

Note: 2000 data references the area that defines the current geographies of each Michigan Works! area.