Michigan Total Nonfarm Payroll Jobs Continue to Climb in December, Leading to Over-the-Year Employment Growth

Michigan added 6,300 payroll jobs in December, bringing the seasonally adjusted total number of jobs to 4,508,800. This gain exceeded the previous 12-month average change of 4,300 jobs. With the increase in December, jobs rose in eight of the 12 months in 2024, increasing by 42,900 jobs, or 1.0 percent, over the year.

Nationally, seasonally adjusted payroll jobs increased by 0.2 percent from the previous month, slightly ahead of Michigan’s rate of change. Nationwide, payroll employment rose by 1.4 percent over the year, outpacing Michigan’s growth of 1.0 percent over the same period.

Michigan added to payroll employment in eight of 12 months in 2024.

Monthly Job Change (Data in Thousands)

Source: Current Employment Statistics, Michigan Center for Data and Analytics

Leisure and hospitality and Government were Among the Top Growing Michigan Sectors in December

Most of Michigan’s major industries saw job gains in December. The Leisure and hospitality sector led employment growth in December, adding 3,400 jobs, followed by Government (+1,800) and Private education and health services (+1,700). Manufacturing (-2,400), Construction (-1,100), and Other services (-100) were the only major industries that experienced declines in payroll employment.

Most of Michigan’s major industries recorded job gains in December.

Industry Job Change, November to December 2024 (Seasonally Adjusted)

Source: Current Employment Statistics, Michigan Center for Data and Analytics

Nationally, Private education and health services (+80,000); Trade, transportation, and utilities (+49,000); and Leisure and hospitality (+43,000) saw the greatest numeric increases in payroll jobs over the month. The Manufacturing (-13,000) sector experienced the largest employment decrease nationally, contracting by 0.1 percent in December.

The majority of Michigan industries continued to add payroll jobs in 2024.

Industry Job Change, December 2023 to December 2024 (Seasonally Adjusted)

Source: Current Employment Statistics, Michigan Center for Data and Analytics

Construction and Government Contributed the Most to Payroll Job Growth Over the Year

Michigan’s Government (+18,400) and Construction (+13,600) sectors saw the greatest increase in payroll jobs since December 2023. Conversely, Manufacturing (-11,200) and Professional and business services (-3,200) experienced the largest decrease in payroll jobs over the year.

Nationally, the Manufacturing sector also experienced the largest drop in jobs over the year among major industries, declining by 87,000, or 0.7 percent. In comparison, Michigan’s Manufacturing sector saw a 1.8 percent drop in payroll jobs over the same period, more than double the national rate of decline. Mining and logging (-1.4 percent) and Information (-0.3 percent) were the only other two major industries to decline over the year nationally.

The Private education and health services sector added the most jobs over the year, growing by 3.8 percent nationally. Similar to Michigan, Government was also among the highest growing major industries, expanding employment by 1.9 percent.

Jobs in Midland Grew More than Any Other Metro Area Both Over the Month and Over the Year

On a not seasonally adjusted basis, only three metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) added jobs or were unchanged in December, which included Midland (+0.5 percent), Flint (+0.1 percent), and the Detroit MSA (+0.0 percent). The largest declines were seen in the Monroe (-0.9 percent) and Kalamazoo (-0.7 percent) metro areas.

Half of Michigan metro areas added payroll employment since December 2023.

Metro Area Over-the-Year Payroll Jobs Change, December 2024 (Not Seasonally Adjusted)

Source: Current Employment Statistics, Michigan Center for Data and Analytics

Seven of Michigan’s 14 metro areas added jobs since December 2023. Over the month, the not seasonally adjusted statewide rate of change (+0.9 percent) was five-tenths of a percentage point lower than the U.S. rate. Midland (+2.9 percent) and Lansing (+2.3 percent) recorded job increases greater than both the statewide and national rates. Ann Arbor (1.1 percent) was the only other metro area to add jobs at a pace above the state average during the same period.

 

For more information on Michigan's statewide and regional labor markets, read the full press releases from the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. Download custom employment and unemployment data with the MCDA Data Search tool.