February 10, 2026
Total covered employment represents the number of surveyed workers who worked during, or received pay for, the pay period that included the 12th day of the month. From June 2024 to June 2025, Michigan’s total covered employment declined by 4,500 employees across the state. Michigan’s average weekly wages in the second quarter increased by $42 over the year, from $1,266 in second quarter 2024 to $1,308 in second quarter 2025. Forty-seven counties had a higher percentage increase in average weekly wages than the state overall (+3.3 percent).
Over-the-year employment increased in 44 of Michigan’s 83 counties. Allegan County (+2,300), Eaton County (+2,200), and Kent County (+1,600) had the largest employment increases. Both Allegan County and Eaton County had a percentage increase greater than 5.0 percent (+5.4 percent and +5.1 percent, respectively). Kalamazoo County was the only county outside of the top three to increase by over 1,000 employees over the period (+1,500). Sixteen counties saw an increase of at least 250 employees.
The three largest decreases in employment from June 2024 to June 2025 were in Macomb County (-6,000), Oakland County (-5,700), and Wayne County (-3,600). These counties hold the first (Oakland), second (Wayne), and fourth (Macomb) most employees of all counties in Michigan. Two other counties lost more than 1,000 employees over the year: Ottawa County (-1,800) and Muskegon County (-1,400). Only 15 of the 83 counties experienced a decrease of 250 or more employees over the year.
The largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment was in Leelanau County (+8.8 percent). Luce County was close behind at +8.7 percent, both well above third-ranked Allegan County at +5.4 percent. The fourth-ranked Eaton County (+5.1 percent) was the only other county to record a 5.0 percent increase or greater over the year. Twenty-seven counties saw at least a 1.0 percent increase in employment between June 2024 and June 2025, with 14 of those having at least a 2.0 percent increase.
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Percent Change in Employment of Counties in Michigan, Total Covered Employment, June 2024-June 2025
Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Roscommon County (-8.2 percent), Osceola County (-5.6 percent), and Arenac County (-3.7 percent) saw the biggest percentage declines in employment over the year. Hillsdale County was close behind with a -3.6 percent decline in employment. Thirty-nine counties saw a decrease in employment over the year, but only 13 of those counties saw a decline of more than 2.0 percent.
The average weekly wage in Michigan increased by $42 from second quarter 2024 to second quarter 2025. The top five largest increases in average weekly wages were Ogemaw County (+$154), Presque Isle County (+$131), Kalkaska County (+$95), Muskegon County (+$95), and Cheboygan County (+$94). All five of these counties reached at least an 8.5 percent increase in average weekly wages. Eighty-one of Michigan’s counties saw an increase in average weekly wages over the year.
Only two of 83 counties in Michigan had a decline in average weekly wages over the year. Luce County saw the sharpest decline, losing $22 in weekly wages, while Benzie County dropped by $4 over the same period. Though no other counties saw a decline in average weekly wages, five other counties saw less than a $5 increase (Berrien, Alpena, Mecosta, Gogebic, Alcona).
Four counties (Van Buren, Oakland, Wexford, Wayne) had an average weekly wage of $1,400 or greater in the second quarter of 2025. Of those four counties, only Van Buren County saw an average weekly wage larger than $2,000, at $2,051. Interestingly, all four counties saw a decline in total employment over the year, with Oakland County and Wayne County being among the largest drops across Michigan (-5,700 and -3,600, respectively).
Percent Change in Employment and Average Weekly Wages in 10 Largest Michigan Counties, Total Covered Employment, June 2024-June 2025
Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Michigan had an over-the-year growth in average weekly wages of +3.3 percent. The largest county increase in average weekly wages was +19.5 percent in Ogemaw County. Presque Isle County saw the second largest increase with +14 percent. Cheboygan County had a +10.9 percent over-the-year growth rate, with Muskegon County (+9.6), Chippewa County (+8.7), and Kalkaska County (+8.5) rounding out the counties with more than an 8.5 percent increase. Twenty-five of 83 counties saw at least a 5.0 percent increase in average weekly wages over the year.
Luce County had the largest percentage decrease in average weekly wages at -2.4 percent over the year. Benzie County was the only other county to see a percentage decrease (-0.5). Despite this, these counties saw a employment growth over the same period.
Michigan’s employment saw a decline of 4,500 employees from June 2024 to June 2025. The average weekly wages saw an increase of $42 over the same period, a +3.3 percent increase. Eighty-one of the 83 counties had an increase in their average weekly wages. More than half of the counties (44) saw an increase in employment as well.
Year-to-year variations in industry and county data can be due to the impact of administrative changes that are not related to actual economic events. These revisions include reclassification of industry codes and adjustments to county geographic codes that will create year-to-year series breaks in employment and wage levels.
